MIAMI _ Erik Spoelstra said his pregame message to the Miami Heat as they wrapped up a six-game road trip in New Orleans on Sunday night was about finishing.
"We've been on the road for a while, but we don't want our minds or our bodies at all in Miami," the Heat coach said.
And finish the Heat did. With a 102-96 win at Smoothie King Center, the stretch through the West is complete with Miami (13-16) coming out of it 4-2.
Already up double digits entering the fourth quarter, the Heat locked down defensively on the Pelicans (15-16) in the final frame, much like how this team grinded out the end in Memphis against the Grizzlies on Friday _ except with more of a cushion this time.
They held New Orleans to five points over the first six minutes of the fourth. Anthony Davis, who led all scorers with 27, didn't score his first points of the second half until there were under six minutes to play. Davis didn't attempt a single field goal in the third quarter.
The Heat held their opponents less than 100 points in each of their four wins on the road trip.
"That's the deal. That's how we've got to play," Spoelstra said. "We have an identity, and that identity is proving to show some success. It takes a great commitment, and we took a step forward on this trip."
Josh Richardson led the Heat with 22. Dwyane Wade scored 19, hitting a tough floater in the lane to put the Heat up eight with 50.9 seconds left.
Hassan Whiteside, despite not playing down the final stretch, had 17 points with 12 rebounds and three blocks. Tyler Johnson scored 11 of his 15 points in the second half. Derrick Jones Jr. had 11 points and eight rebounds.
Jrue Holiday scored 22 and fouled out for New Orleans. Julius Randle, who left with a right ankle sprain in the fourth, had 17. Whiteside and Adebayo provided physicality against Davis to match up as much as one can against the All-Star power forward.
Miami now has five of the next six and eight of the next 11 at home, beginning with the Houston Rockets on Thursday night after three days off.
