MIAMI _ On a night Hassan Whiteside opened 2 of 11 from the field and Goran Dragic 1 of 7, the Heat couldn't have handpicked a better opponent than the Phoenix Suns, a team in such full-fledged tank-a-palooza that Eric Bledsoe and Brandon Knight don't play, even though they're two of their better perimeter players.
So after absorbing the best of Damian Lillard in a Sunday loss to the Portland Trail Blazers, the Heat made it 3-1 to start this five-game homestand with a 112-97 decision Tuesday at AmericanAirlines Arena.
Back to within a game of .500 at 35-36, and back in playoff position with the Detroit Pistons' loss Tuesday to the Brooklyn Nets, the Heat likely will need more from Whiteside and Dragic for what follows, with the next three against the Toronto Raptors, Boston Celtics and then a playoff tiebreaker showdown in Detroit.
In this one, depth of talent was enough to get the job done, with Whiteside eventually finishing with 23 points and 14 rebounds, and Dragic with 16 points. The Heat had seven players score in double figures.
Whiteside left with a bloody gash on his right hand on the fourth quarter.
With the performance, Whiteside passed Rony Seikaly for most rebounds in a season by Heat player. It also was Whiteside's franchise-record 57th game with double-digit rebounds this season, breaking a tie with Seikaly, who had 56 such games in 1991-92. It also gave Whiteside, who on Monday was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week, his 13th consecutive double-double, extending his franchise single-season record.
The Heat also reached double digits in 3-pointers for the 34th time this season, also a franchise single-season record.
Basically, Tyler Johnson carried the Heat with 12 first-quarter points, Wayne Ellington with 11 second-quarter points, with the Heat then seizing control in the third period with a 15-0 run against an opponent that now has lost seven of their last eight. The Heat went into the fourth quarter up 84-63.
The Heat lost the first game of the two-game season series 99-90 Jan. 3 at Talking Stick Resort Arena, on a night they were without Whiteside, James Johnson, Tyler Johnson, Justise Winslow and Dion Waiters.
The Heat had won 12 in a row from the Suns before that loss, now on a seven-game home winning streak against the Suns. The Suns' most recent victory at AmericanAirlines Arena remains Nov. 3, 2009.
With Waiters missing a second consecutive game because of the severely sprained left ankle sustained in Friday's victory over the Minnesota, the Heat again opened with Josh Richardson at shooting guard.
For Richardson the game was a step forward after Sunday's uneven play against Portland, showing range with a pair of early 3-pointers.
The Heat went into halftime up 59-46, despite Whiteside and Dragic standing at a combined 3 of 14 from the field to that stage.
Ellington created a personal 9-0 run late in the second period by nailing three consecutive 3-pointers, the last one at speed, in transition, as the Heat pushed to a 13-point lead. Ellington later in the period dunked in transition, for his 11-point quarter.
The Heat got off to a lethargic start, energized only when Tyler Johnson entered midway through the first quarter. Even with Johnson scoring his 12 points in the first period, the Heat still went into the second quarter down 26-23.
The 12 points were the most by Johnson in an opening period this season.
It was a particularly uneven start from Whiteside, who missed five of his six shots in the first quarter and later fell to 1 of 7 before his second conversion of the night.
The Heat were coming off Sunday's 115-104 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers, only their second home loss since Jan. 1. All six of the Heat's losses since Jan. 17 have come against teams with losing records.
