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Magic-Heat: 56k | 300k |
Butler scored just five points on 2-of-5 shooting in the first three quarters but sparked the Heat late. He made 6-of-9 shots in the final period as Miami pulled away.
"The guys were showing confidence in me, and I wanted to do whatever it took to help the team win," Butler said. "It's a matter of being poised out there and stepping up when it counts."
The game was tied at 72-72 when Eddie Jones, who scored 19 points, gave the Heat the lead for good and sparked a 20-10 run on a dunk with 21 seconds left in the third period.
Butler opened the fourth with a layup and 3-pointer on back-to-back possessions, and Miami never looked back. He added a layup and a turnaround jumper 2½ minutes apart before his 3-pointer with 58 seconds left gave the Heat a 95-84 cushion.
"I was getting good looks, but I also wanted to be selective and take the high-percentage shots," he said. "I was concentrating on getting to the basket and making my shots."
Miami made 9-of-21 shots and 6-of-7 free throws in the fourth quarter while shutting down Orlando, which was held to 17 points on 5-of-19 shooting.
"We finally defended in the fourth quarter," Heat coach Stan Van Gundy said. "They were shooting 50-plus percent for three quarters and we had to do something to slow them down."
The Magic shot 57 percent (32-of-56) through three quarters but finished less than 50 percent after a dismal fourth-quarter effort.
"Miami turned up the intensity at the defensive end in the fourth quarter," Orlando coach Johnny Davis said. "We had some miscommunication on a couple of offensive sets, and Miami made the plays they had to."
Lamar Odom had 16 points and 13 rebounds and Brian Grant added 16 and 10 for the Heat, who have scored 100 points in three straight games for the first time since November 1999.
Odom sank just 2-of-11 shots but made 12-of-15 free throws as Miami had a huge advantage from the line. The Heat made 29-of-35 free throws while the Magic attempted only 15, making 11.
Tracy McGrady scored 26 points and Juwan Howard had 24 and 10 rebounds to lead Orlando, which has lost five of seven following a season-high three-game winning streak.
"A couple of times we should have gotten an opportunity to go to the free-throw line," McGrady said. "Things just didn't go our way. Poor execution, a couple of turnovers, and we lose."
