The Orlando Magic found the right setting for a rare road win. Mario Hezonja scored 20 points and Jonathan Simmons made the tiebreaking dunk with 1 minute and 31 seconds remaining as the Magic beat the Miami Heat 111-109 on Monday night.
Starting for the injured Aaron Gordon, Hezonja shot seven of 14 from the field and four of nine on three-pointers as the Magic won their third road game in the last 24. They dropped Miami to just 13-11 at home.
“I’m not paying attention too much to my game because I know my game, I know what I can do, but as long as we are winning I am happy that I am helping my teammates,” Hezonja said.
Photo: AP
Heat appeared to tie the game after Tyler Johnson was credited with a basket when Orlando’s Bismack Biyombo was called for goaltending with 2.8 seconds remaining. A video review overturned the call.
“I think they can’t review it unless the whistle blows so I think they’re told if it’s close, blow the whistle and we’ll look at it,” Orlando coach Frank Vogel said. “I didn’t think it was really close. I would have been shocked if they called it a goaltend.”
Marreese Speights’ consecutive three-pointers capped a 12-2 surge and his second one extended Orlando’s lead to 99-89 with 11 minutes remaining.
Speights finished with 12 points.
The Magic withstood a 16-2 Miami run late in the fourth quarter. Josh Richardson’s lay-up with 2 minutes and 53 seconds remaining tied the game at 109 before Simmons’ dunk put Orlando ahead for good.
“It’s a game of runs and we just were able to sustain their run long enough to win the game,” Simmons said. “I just made plays down the stretch. My teammates and coach trusted me with the ball and I just made a play.”
Richardson scored 20 points for Miami, which lost their fourth straight game.
Hassan Whiteside added 19 points and 14 rebounds, and Justise Winslow finished with 16 points.
The Heat have now started their last two homestands with losses against last-place teams in the Eastern and Western conferences in Orlando and Sacramento.
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