Erik Spoelstra

Dwyane Wade lashed out in frustration during the worst playoff game of his career. His target wasn't wearing an Indiana uniform. Wade confronted his coach as the Miami Heat melted. The star had an animated exchange with Erik Spoelstra on the sideline in the third quarter, a disturbing low point on a night when nothing went Miami's way, and the Heat were throttled 94-75 by the Pacers in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference semifinals. Indiana center Roy Hibbert had 19 points and 18 rebounds, George Hill scored 20 and Danny Granger 17 as Indiana, pushed by a crowd that stood and...

The Miami Heat canceled practice and their media availability one day after a blowout loss in Game 3 to the Pacers. The team gave no immediate reason for Friday's decision, which was announced on the Heat's media telephone hotline. The Heat lost 94-75 on Thursday night and trail Indiana 2-1 in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Miami's latest defeat was magnified by a sideline confrontation between star guard Dwyane Wade and coach Erik Spoelstra. The two exchanged words during one of the worst playoff games of Wade's career.

The Miami Heat canceled practice and their media availability one day after a blowout loss in Game 3 to the Pacers. The team gave no immediate reason for Friday's decision, which was announced on the Heat's media telephone hotline. The Heat lost 94-75 on Thursday night and trail Indiana 2-1 in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Miami's latest defeat was magnified by a sideline confrontation between star guard Dwyane Wade and coach Erik Spoelstra. The two exchanged words during one of the worst playoff games of Wade's career.

LeBron James grabbed a seat on Miami's bench, lowered his head, and stared down at the floor. Way down. The Heat are in a hole. Roy Hibbert had 19 points and 18 rebounds, George Hill scored 20, and Danny Granger 17 as the Pacers, showing more balance, toughness, and togetherness than Miami, throttled the malfunctioning Heat, 94-75, Thursday night in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference semifinals in Indianapolis. Overlooked during the regular season and given little chance to upset the reigning East champions, the Pacers took a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series.

LeBron James grabbed a seat on Miami's bench, lowered his head, and stared down at the floor. Way down. The Heat are in a hole. Roy Hibbert had 19 points and 18 rebounds, George Hill scored 20, and Danny Granger 17 as the Pacers, showing more balance, toughness, and togetherness than Miami, throttled the malfunctioning Heat, 94-75, Thursday night in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference semifinals in Indianapolis. Overlooked during the regular season and given little chance to upset the reigning East champions, the Pacers took a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series.

Chris Bosh and the Miami Heat were relieved by the diagnosis. It's the prognosis — or lack of one — that's a source of worry now. And suddenly, the Indiana Pacers may be even more of a threat. Bosh strained a lower abdominal muscle in Game 1 of the teams' Eastern Conference semifinal series, that original diagnosis confirmed Monday after an MRI exam. The team said Bosh is out "indefinitely," though coach Erik Spoelstra and others say the injury could have been worse.

The Miami Heat's recent road performances have raised several questions. And, after a 91-72 loss to the Celtics Sunday at TD Garden, neither coach Erik Spoelstra nor the Heat players could provide answers. LeBron James called the result an "old-fashioned you know what. " Dwyane Wade filled in the blank. "This game was unacceptable," Spoelstra said. "We will fix it together, collectively. We're not happy about it. We have not been able to come up with an answer on the road, particularly in the third quarter.

LeBron James scored a season-high 38 points — 24 in a third-quarter clinic — to lead the Miami Heat in a 118-90 blowout win over the Cavaliers in Cleveland last night. Dwyane Wade added 22 points, James Jones 18 and Chris Bosh 15 for the Heat, which played its most complete game of the season to improve to 12-8. “This is the first time I have seen this connection all year long,’’ said coach Erik Spoelstra, who’s come under criticism for the team’s slow start.

LeBron James and Erik Spoelstra had a pregame meeting yesterday afternoon to talk about Miami’s offensive woes. Early returns suggest it was a productive chat. James scored 30 points, Dwyane Wade added 26, and the Heat beat Washington, 105-94, last night in Miami, keeping the Wizards winless away from home this season. James had 20 of his points in the first half, Wade added 15 in the third quarter, and though it didn’t get into a blowout until the fourth quarter — it’s the fifth time already this season where the Wizards have lost by double digits — it was comfortable...

When Dwyane Wade was told he was going to take the winning shot against the Bobcats in Charlotte, N.C., he nearly deferred to the hotter LeBron James. Then Wade thought better of it. "When [coach Erik Spoelstra] called it, I was shocked because this guy had it going on," Wade said, pointing to James. "I wasn't in the flow. I was about to say, ‘Let LeBron run it.' Then I said, ‘You know what, I'll do it.' " And he did. With James in the corner, Wade brought the ball up, drove to the left side, and banked a 10-footer over Gerald Henderson with 2.9...

Dwyane Wade lashed out in frustration during the worst playoff game of his career. His target wasn't wearing an Indiana uniform. Wade confronted his coach as the Miami Heat melted. The star had an animated exchange with Erik Spoelstra on the sideline in the third quarter, a disturbing low point on a night when nothing went Miami's way, and the Heat were throttled 94-75 by the Pacers in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference semifinals. Indiana center Roy Hibbert had 19 points and 18 rebounds, George Hill scored 20 and Danny Granger 17 as Indiana, pushed by a crowd that stood and...

Chris Bosh and the Miami Heat were relieved by the diagnosis. It's the prognosis — or lack of one — that's a source of worry now. And suddenly, the Indiana Pacers may be even more of a threat. Bosh strained a lower abdominal muscle in Game 1 of the teams' Eastern Conference semifinal series, that original diagnosis confirmed Monday after an MRI exam. The team said Bosh is out "indefinitely," though coach Erik Spoelstra and others say the injury could have been worse.

For the second time, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich faced a predicament after his team rolled off 11 straight wins. But actually, this was not a difficult decision. Rest superseded victory, not only because the Spurs have three aging players in Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, and Tim Duncan, but because of this compressed season, which has little practice time and a demanding travel schedule to adhere to the national television schedule. For the Celtics, they will have played division opponents New Jersey and Philadelphia three times but Chicago and Miami four...

The Miami Heat's recent road performances have raised several questions. And, after a 91-72 loss to the Celtics Sunday at TD Garden, neither coach Erik Spoelstra nor the Heat players could provide answers. LeBron James called the result an "old-fashioned you know what. " Dwyane Wade filled in the blank. "This game was unacceptable," Spoelstra said. "We will fix it together, collectively. We're not happy about it. We have not been able to come up with an answer on the road, particularly in the third quarter.

LeBron James had 17 points and 10 assists to lead the Miami Heat to their fourth straight victory, 88-73 over the Detroit Pistons on Friday night. Dwyane Wade added 24 points for the Heat, who posed for a photo earlier in the day wearing team-logo hoodies. Players were speaking out following the death of Trayvon Martin, the unarmed black teenager wearing a hooded sweatshirt who was shot by a neighborhood crime-watch volunteer last month in a suburb of Orlando, Fla. Several Heat players, including Wade and James, took the floor with messages such as "RIP Trayvon...

LeBron James scored 21 points and capped his night by banking in a halfcourt shot, Chris Bosh added 20 points and the Miami Heat snapped a two-game slide by rolling past the New Jersey Nets 108-78 on Tuesday night. The win came with a cost: Dwyane Wade turned his right ankle late in the first half and did not return, finishing with 13 points. Wade missed six games earlier this season after spraining the same ankle, though the team said he could have returned to this one if needed.

MIAMI — Having LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh together was supposed to be the Miami Heat formula for many championships. And it might. Someday. Right now, it isn’t. With the playoffs a little more than a month away, time is running out. So maybe it was fitting that Heat coach Erik Spoelstra had his back to the wall of Miami’s practice court yesterday when trying his best to clear up “Crygate.’’ Here was his clarification: He saw glossy eyes, but heard no whimpering.

Pat Riley expects better days are ahead for the Miami Heat. Speaking Tuesday, more than a week after the Heat season ended with a loss to the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA finals, Miami’s team president said that not winning the title was a disappointment — but insisted the season still had plenty of successes. “I’ll say it. I’m not afraid to say it,’’ Riley said at his annual end-of-season availability. “We are going to be multiple contenders, OK? I have no problem saying that.

When Dwyane Wade was told he was going to take the winning shot against the Bobcats in Charlotte, N.C., he nearly deferred to the hotter LeBron James. Then Wade thought better of it. "When [coach Erik Spoelstra] called it, I was shocked because this guy had it going on," Wade said, pointing to James. "I wasn't in the flow. I was about to say, ‘Let LeBron run it.' Then I said, ‘You know what, I'll do it.' " And he did. With James in the corner, Wade brought the ball up, drove to the left side, and banked a 10-footer over Gerald Henderson with 2.9 seconds remaining last...