AUBURN HILLS, Mich., March 5 (UPI) -- Eddie Jones sank a baseline jumper as time expired Tuesday night as the Miami Heat continued their resurgence with a 93-91 victory over the Detroit Pistons.
Miami's 86-80 loss here on Dec. 30 dropped it to 5-23, tying the Chicago Bulls for the worst record in the Eastern Conference. But the Heat began a three-game winning streak the following day and had won 20 of 29 games before returning to Detroit.
The Pistons took a 91-89 lead on a pair of free throws by Corliss Williamson with 43 seconds left. But Miami forged a tie with eight seconds remaining when Jimmy Jackson found Rod Strickland for a wide-open 18-foot jumper.
Detroit's Jerry Stackhouse turned over the ball on the next possession and the Heat inbounded the ball with 2.8 seconds left.
Jones received the inbounds and was double-teamed as he dribbled to the left corner. He used a pump-fake to elude Stackhouse and nailed a 20-footer over Clifford Robinson to give Miami its fourth win in five games.
Jones finished with 24 points and Alonzo Mourning had 18 points and tied a season high with 14 rebounds as the Heat moved within 2 1/2 games of the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
Stackhouse scored 22 points and Chucky Atkins added 17 but was held scoreless in the second half for Detroit, which remained one-half game ahead of the second-place Milwaukee Bucks in the Central Division.
