Wizards squander 35-point lead to Heat, but hang on for win

It would have been a comeback for the ages had the Miami Heat closed it out. 

The Heat, severely undermanned with Dwyane Wade and Luol Deng out of the lineup, and then losing Goran Dragic during the game, came back from a 35-point third-quarter deficit to nearly beat the Washington Wizards on Friday.

Washington managed to hang on, though, winning 99-97.

Dragic left the game in the third with a back contusion and did not return. 

Michael Beasley scored all of his 13 points in the fourth quarter, part of a 47-15 Miami run in the second half. However, Beasley couldn't get a shot off in time with 1.1 seconds left.

Nene led the way for the Wizards with 20 points, while Marcin Gortat finished with 14 points and 17 rebounds. Gortat handled Hassan Whiteside well all night, and the two received a double technical for some extra contact in the second quarter. 

In a bizarre game, the Heat also were called for a technical for having six men on the floor in the fourth quarter. With the loss, Miami fell to ninth in the Eastern Conference standings.

The Wizards set a season high for points in the first quarter (40) and first half (67), but turned the ball over 14 times in the second half - letting Miami back in the door.