Hawks win two-minute replayed OT game

It was a carryover from Dec. 19 after a protest.

ATLANTA (AP) — New score, same result.

The Atlanta Hawks won the NBA’s first replay since 1983, holding off the Miami Heat 114-111 in overtime Saturday night to complete a protested game from December.

The NBA ordered the teams back to the court after upholding Miami’s protest of a 117-111 loss to the Hawks on Dec. 19.

The Heat went to the league after the home team’s stat crew mistakenly ruled Shaquille O’Neal — who’s now with the Phoenix Suns — had fouled out with 51.9 seconds left in overtime when he actually had only five fouls.

The game resumed from the point of the protest and neither team scored during their brief time on the court. They got a 15-minute break, then tipped off their regularly scheduled game.

“Come on Hawks fans, it’s overtime!” the Hawks announcer yelled to the crowd. “Let’s make some noise!”

The replay took a little more than two minutes to play.

Miami had the ball first, but Mark Blount missed a turnaround jumper in the lane. Joe Johnson could have clinched it for the Hawks, but his bank shot rolled off the rim with 19 seconds to go.

Miami raced down court and called timeout to set up a play that could have forced a second overtime period — more than 2 1/2 months after the first one began. The Heat managed to get the ball to Dwyane Wade, but he missed a desperation 3 from the corner with 1.5 seconds left.

Wade ran off the court with a smile, while embattled Hawks coach Mike Woodson pumped his fist. The game certainly meant a lot more to Atlanta, which is battling for the eighth playoff in the Eastern Conference, than it did to the hapless Heat.

“It’s a bizarre situation. It doesn’t happen often,” Heat coach Pat Riley said between games. “And it isn’t something that everybody was excited about. But I guarantee you the Atlanta Hawks are very excited about it because they’re playing for a season.”

The Hawks seemed a bit confused about what to do after winning the replay. The players lingered on the court for a few seconds, then headed toward the locker room. But they had to return quickly to begin warming up for the regular game.

One of the officials, Scott Foster, couldn’t resist having a little fun after the replay.

“That was the best game I’ve ever had,” he said at the scoring table. “I didn’t make one mistake.”

Atlanta, trying to make the playoffs for the first time since 1999, desperately needed to win both games. They were among a half-dozen teams within three games of the final postseason spot in the East.

“It’s huge for our ballclub in a sense because if we’re able to handle our business tonight, then we move up in the eight spot,” Woodson said beforehand. “That’s what’s more important than anything.”