Michael Beasley Scores Career High vs Grizzlies 19-02-10 [30 Points / Complete Highlights]

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (NBA.com exclusive) -- Dwyane Wade passed his walking boot from teammate to teammate in the Heat locker room at FedExForum on Friday night. Udonis Haslem signed his name, then Rafer Alston and so on down the line, each man using a black Sharpie on Wade's keepsake.

Michael Beasley was one of the last teammates to emerge from the shower, and he never noticed Wade when he tried to hand him the boot.

"He broke his career high," Quentin Richardson said, "so he don't want to sign it!"

It was all in good fun for the Heat, whose 100-87 double-overtime victory over the Grizzlies was the product of some unexpected but much-needed individual performances. Miami (29-27) extended its winning streak to a season-best five games.

"Whether you're up in the game or down, and whether it's regulation or overtime, you have to have some mental toughness to stay in the moment," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "And I thought we did a very good job of doing that. I don't even know where to begin with the guys."

Why not start with Beasley? With Wade sidelined with a left calf strain, the second-year forward busted loose for a career-high 30 points on 13-of-25 shooting and eight rebounds, dominating Zach Randolph, the Grizzlies' All-Star forward, for long stretches.

Beasley, often criticized for not playing to his potential, was as quiet during the pre-game chalk talk as Spoelstra could recall. Spoelstra joked that he would have to show Beasley the film of the session so he could replicate it before the Heat visits the Mavericks on Saturday.

"I like seeing that progress," Spoelstra said. "He's the 11th youngest player in the league and everyone expects it to happen right now. But there's a growth process. And he knows that with Dwayne out, there's going to be more opportunities. His body language out there is great."

Beasley got help from another unlikely source. Mario Chalmers, who had missed the last nine games with a thumb injury, played 41 minutes off the bench and finished with 18 points (4-of-7 from 3-point range), seven rebounds and four assists.

"I was feeling good," Chalmers said. "I got some shots up before the game, so it was just a good feeling.

And then there was Haslem, who had two points through regulation and the first overtime. In the second overtime, with Jermaine O'Neal fouled out, Haslem had eight points as Miami outscored Memphis, 15-2.

"I spent some time on the bench observing the game," he said. "And when I got in, I knew exactly what I needed to bring. I just tried to be aggressive."

It was a heartbreaker for Memphis (27-27), which is slipping from the highly competitive Western Conference playoff picture.

The Grizzlies had held a morning press conference to introduce Ronnie Brewer, a versatile wing acquired at the trade deadline from the Utah Jazz, and he was expected to give the Grizzlies' thin bench some pop. Instead, he went down early in the fourth quarter with a hamstring injury. He left for the locker room in a wheelchair and is scheduled for an MRI on Saturday morning. His status is unknown.

But despite his injury and despite missing 21 of their first 25 shots, the Grizzlies hung around and actually took their first lead with 34.4 seconds left in regulation on a floater in the lane from point guard Mike Conley. Beasley answered with a mid-range jumper that tied things at 76 with 23.8 seconds left, then the Grizzlies' Rudy Gay (15 points, 6-of-19 shooting) and O'Neal (18 points) missed potential game-winners.

And after the Grizzlies' O.J. Mayo (17 points) buried a 3-pointer in the right corner to push the Grizzlies ahead 85-83 late in overtime, Chalmers nailed a runner off the glass that sent the game to a second overtime, which the Heat dominated.

"I think we just ran out of gas," said Grizzlies center Marc Gasol, who finished with a team-high 22 points. "We didn't do a great job of attacking or finding the open shots. And they got easy shots with Haslem in the game."

Spoelstra said he was pleased with Beasley's development, in particular. His performance featured a nice mix of post moves and mid-range jumpers, and it was clear that Beasley approached the game with something to prove. He indicated that he has been frustrated with all the criticism, including some offered by Charles Barkley, who earlier this season referred to Wade's supporting cast as a bunch of "Tito Jacksons."

"It kind of shuts everyone up," Beasley said. "It don't stop here, but this is the kind of win that feels good for everybody. And ask Charles Barkley if he knows my name. Kept calling us 'Tito.' I think we're just trying to show that we do have names."

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• miami
• heat
• jh
• productions
• raul7wade3
• 2008
• 2009
• playoffs
• dwyane
• wade
• udonis
• haslem
• michael
• beasley
• daequan
• cook
• mario
• chalmers
• joel
• anthony
• alonzo
• mourning
• ceremony
• jersey
• 33
• olympics
• kobe
• bryant
• lebron
• james
• carmelo
• carlos
• boozer
• chris
• paul
• atlanta
• hawks
• los
• angeles
• lakers
• all
• star
• game
• weekend
• east
• west
• mixmaking
• editing
• celtics
• champions
• mixtape
• music
• olympiacos
• magloire

[FloCHECK123]

b easy.... continue to be consistent man.. so that charles barkely will not call you

tito jackson no more.....

[fanged]

Your obviously not a real heat fan.

Eric has been the heats voice for nearly 20 years and is one of the best in the buiz.

Beasley > Gay

[TAYLORGANG9505]

funniest thing is is that beasly did this high

[trueplaya20]

@LEG4CY917 whooooooooooo?????????? lol

[LEG4CY917]

looks just like will smith

[supastat1]

@fanged the keyboard warrior strikes again lol

[3pm6fdwpp]

When beasely got rid of his afro he didnt play like he shoudve he didnt drive nor look to score as much as he shoudve

[TheRexrapper]

I wonder why Beasley never played inside more when he was in the nba? He played different in college. When he came in the nba he was strictly a perimeter forward. He plays power forward like a small forward and plays small forward like a shooting guard.

[zyndall7]

@MrACR94 i just said he was talking less shot in miami and that's why he could have done this as a heat. Wade is great player and great players have the green light to shoot as many shots as they want as long as their percentage is high (50%) and scoring (30.1)

[MrACR94]

@zyndall7 how many shots was wade taking anyway like 25? He's such a ball hog. Happy to see beas getting a great oportunity with the wolves

[MrACR94]

@willinders and the 36, the 32, the 33, the 39, the 31, should i keep going?

[MrACR94]

@busydoinnothinn ..........faggot