For a night, the Heat's supporting cast played a collective starring role.
With Dwyane Wade out with a calf injury and starting point guard Rafer Alston also sitting with a hand injury, Michael Beasley stepped up. And up. And Up. And up.
Beasley led the way with a career-high 30 points to help get the Heat past the Memphis Grizzlies 100-87 in double overtime Friday at FedEx Forum. A day after Heat owner Micky Arison and team president Pat Riley emerged from the trading deadline with the roster intact, the team showed it was the right move.
For a night, at least.
The ultimate team-wide effort allowed Miami to extend its winning streak to five games, including three straight Ws on the road. That five-game losing streak before the All-Star break has been answered by a five-game victory streak that started with two wins going into the break and three coming out of it.
The Heat can sweep the four-games-in-five-days stretch with a victory Saturday in Dallas.
Not only did Beasley respond with a career night, guard Mario Chalmers also came back from a three-week injury absence to score a season-high 18 points. There were the 10 points and team-high six assists from Carlos Arroyo in his start for Alston. There was the all-around play from Quentin Richardson, who got eight points, nine rebounds, three assists, two steals and a block.
There was the consistent effort in regulation from Jermaine O'Neal, who closed with 18 points and nine rebounds. And after O'Neal fouled out in the first overtime, forward Udonis Haslem took over in the second overtime period, scoring eight of his 10 points as Miami (29-27) pulled away.
Two months ago, the Grizzlies exposed everything that was wrong with the Heat in that 28-point thrashing in Miami. On Friday, the Heat avenged that loss by displaying reasons to believe in this supporting cast.
"We just want to show the world that we can actually play the game of basketball," Beasley said. "With D-Wade being as good as he is, people sometimes don't think we can play. But we can do it."
D. WADE'S DOINGS: The recovery process from that sprained left calf continues for Wade, who missed his first game of the season on Friday and also is expected to sit out Saturday at Dallas. Wade underwent his third consecutive day of extensive treatment. Wade remains sore, but he is regaining his range of motion in his lower left leg. The team reported that Wade can raise up on his toes, something he was unable to do when he sustained the injury in Wednesday's victory at New Jersey. Should he sit out on Saturday and in Tuesday's home game, Wade would have another three days of rest before the Heat plays again Saturday afternoon at home against Milwaukee. This isn't the type of injury you can rush back from, especially a player who relies on his lower body and explosion to make plays on both ends.
TURNING POINT: The Heat had a chance to win it in regulation, but O'Neal missed a jumper at the buzzer. Miami also had a chance to put it away in the first overtime, but Beasley fired an air ball under pressure. The Heat made sure it would not come down to a final shot in the extra, extra session. The Heat outscored the Grizzlies 15-2 in the second overtime period.
WINNING EDGE: The Heat held the Grizzlies to 31 points in the first half and 38 percent shooting for the game. This is the fifth consecutive game the Heat has held its opponents below 40 percent shooting from the field. The defense has been outstanding the past two weeks for the Heat. Miami also forced 21 turnovers, although it committed 20.
HEAD-SCRATCHER: With Alston out and Arroyo inserted as the starter, it's going to be interesting to see what coach Erik Spoelstra does at point guard moving forward. It's become clear over the past few games that Arroyo is the more effective threat at the position. Alston has struggled extensively with his shot since he arrived from New Jersey last month, and has been erratic. Mario Chalmers, who returned Friday from a torn thumb ligament, has regressed in some ways from his rookie season. The better Arroyo performs, the more pressure it places on the coaching staff to make a firm decision with the rotation. Spoelstra values the contribution of a productive second unit, and would probably prefer Arroyo's offense with that unit. With Wade and Alston ailing, this is a decision Spoelstra can sidestep for another few games. Chalmers comfort level when cast at shooting guard Friday was a pleasant surprise. But eventually, something's gotta give, right?
KEY CONTRIBUTION: Is Beasley a keeper? You certainly had to have him Friday. And it's hard to argue against that these past couple of games. The fact of the matter is Beasley is putting up Amare Stoudemire numbers right now. As his confidence grows, so will his game. Beasley understands how heavy of a burden Wade has had to carry. The key now is that Beasley and Wade learn to play together at a high level on a consistent basis. Coach Erik Spoelstra said he saw a different side of Beasley during the pre-game film session going into Friday's game. "He was as quiet and focused as I've seen him," Spoelstra said. Beasley knew the challenge he faced, and he stepped up to that challenge for a second game with Wade out for the duration. Much like his team, the next step for Beasley is doing it consistently.
NEXT UP: Heat at Dallas Mavericks, 8:30 p.m. Saturday, American Airlines Center
(For live news, notes and updates on the Heat, follow me on Twitter @ twitter.com/wallacesports. To post a question or join our live Heat chat each Thursday from 1-2 p.m., click here.)
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