Nene scored 20 points, Marcin Gortat added 14 points and 17 rebounds and the Washington Wizards blew all but one point of a 35-point lead before holding off the short-handed Miami Heat, 99-97, on Friday night.
Miami had a chance to take its first lead, but Henry Walker’s corner 3-pointer rimmed out with 5.9 seconds left and Nene snared the rebound.
Bradley Beal made one of two free throws with 1.6 seconds left. Miami inbounded after a timeout, but time expired before Michael Beasley’s jumper — which fell short — left his hands
Beal added 17 points for the Wizards, who are just 2-7 in their last nine games.
Miami played without starters Dwyane Wade (sore right hip) and Luol Deng (right thigh contusion). Goran Dragic had 18 points, but left the game after a hard fall late in the third quarter.
Shabazz Napier added 16 points for Miami, and Beasley scored 13 points, all in the fourth quarter.
Washington led 83-48 midway through the third quarter, but Miami cut it to 88-73 after three. Dragic scored 12 points in the quarter.
Beasley’s driving layup made it 98-95 with 1:47 left, and Tyler Johnson’s tip-in pulled Miami to 98-97 at the 1:08 mark.
Miami got to within 17 early in the second, but the Wizards soon extended the lead back above 20, and Beal’s jumper made it 67-39 at intermission.
Gortat’s driving dunk off a between-the-legs pass from John Wall gave the Wizards their 83-48 lead with 7:10 left in the third quarter.
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