MIAMI _ Whatever they put in Goran Dragic's eye drops, make it a round for everyone.
After missing Sunday' loss to the Indiana Pacers due to a right orbital contusion, Dragic allowed the Miami Heat to absorb the best shots of Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins in a 120-112 victory Wednesday night at AmericanAirlines Arena.
Dragic, bloodied yet again, this time absorbing a shot to the face in the fourth quarter, closed with 33 points on 11-of-18 shooting, including 5-of-9 on 3-pointers. He was supported by 19 points from guard Wayne Ellington and 20 points and 17 rebounds from center Hassan Whiteside.
That proved enough to offset 27 points and eight rebounds from Davis and 19 points and nine rebounds from Cousins.
The victory made it 14 in the last 15 home games for the Heat, with this the first game on a five-game homestand.
Despite an early 14-point lead, it was harrowing until a late barrage of Heat 3-pointers.
Consecutive 3-pointers by Ellington and Tyler Johnson helped the Heat take a 100-98 lead midway through the fourth quarter. But with E'Twaun Moore then went on a personal scoring streak, the score then was tied at 100-100 and 102-102.
That's when Josh Richardson stepped up with a 3-pointer for a 105-102 Heat lead, with Davis and Dragic on the bench at the time, amid a span of the two teams making 11 consecutive shots.
James Johnson then followed with a 3-pointer off a Dragic assist for a 108-102 lead with 4:13 to play. Another James Johnson 3-pointer followed for a 111-102 lead, effectively ending it, with Dion Waiters contributing another 3-pointer of his own.
The Heat went into the fourth quarter up 85-79. Whiteside by then already was in double digits in rebounds for the 14th consecutive game, the longest such streak in the franchise's 29 seasons. It also had Whiteside with his 10th consecutive double-double, the second longest franchise streak.
The Heat fell behind by seven at the start of the second half before Dragic drained his third 3-pointer of the night, with the Heat then rallying to tie it 61-61.
Heat forward Luke Babbitt then was called for his fourth foul, with 7:58 to play in the third period, with Babbitt also called for a technical foul on the play, his second of the season.
James Johnson entered for Babbitt and then was called for his fourth foul with 5:26 to play in the third period, forcing Okaro White into the game.
The Heat took a 14-point lead in the second period and then gave almost all of it back, going into the intermission up 54-52.
Dragic led the Heat with 17 first-half points, shooting 6 of 8 over the opening two periods.
The Heat caught a break when Cousins was forced to the bench with his third foul midway through the second period.
The Heat committed 10 first-half turnovers, but the Pelicans were only able to convert them into three points.
The Heat pushed to a 10-point lead in the first period and went into the second up 28-21.
While Cousins was able to score over the top of the defense of the Heat's Luke Babbitt, he was forced to the bench with a second foul midway through the first quarter. Cousins also picked up a technical foul moments earlier, now to face another one-game suspension with his next, 20th, technical of the season.
The Pelicans won the first game of the two-game season series 91-87 on Dec. 23 in New Orleans, overcoming a 14-point deficit. The Pelicans, who had yet to acquire DeMarcus Cousins, were led by the 28 points and 22 rebounds of Anthony Davis.
The Pelicans entered having won four of the previous six meetings, with the Heat winning six of the previous seven meetings at AmericanAirlines Arena.
While the Heat entered after a two-day break, the game completed a back-to-back set for the Pelicans following their Tuesday home victory over the Portland Trail Blazers.
