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Dwyane Wade gets win in return to Miami

By Walter Villa, The Sports Xchange

MIAMI -- Dwyane Wade made himself at home.

Playing his first game as a visitor at AmericanAirlines Arena, Wade did what he usually does when he's in Miami: hang out at his house and then make just enough plays to win a game.

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He even got the type of officiating call that usually goes to the hometown star, not a rival player.

In the end, even though he was held to 13 points, Wade still made two key free throws as his Chicago Bulls prevailed in a 98-95 win over the Miami Heat on Thursday night.

"It was one of the weirdest games I've ever played in," said Wade, who revealed that he had the Bulls players over to his house earlier Thursday as the guys played cards and relaxed before coming to the arena.

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"I didn't want the guys to worry about me -- just win the game. But I'm glad it's over."

Wade made sure Chicago got the win when he drew a foul call against Justise Winslow with 13 seconds left. Wade made both free throws to give the Bulls a 96-92 lead, and that was all Chicago needed.

Bulls guard Rajon Rondo, asked if the call against Winslow was legitimate, had a sheepish grin on his face.

"Winslow is a really strong guy," Rondo said. "(Winslow) pushed (Wade) into the crowd, and the refs did a great job making the call."

Asked if he saw a replay, Rondo said: "I was there live. I had a great view. ... That's D-Wade. It's not like you have to give him the call, but ... you have to give him the call."

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra smiled when asked about the foul and intimated that opinions will vary depending on your allegiances.

"I don't know if that counts as the story-book (return to Miami), a foul to go to the free-throw line ... but Dwyane was able to knock those down," Spoelstra said.

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"If this were last year, I would have thought, 'Hey, he got pushed out of bounds.' This year, he's selling it."

Jimmy Butler, who had 39 points in Chicago's loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday, was the star again for the Bulls. The two-time All-Star had a team-high 20 points, including eight in the fourth quarter.

"He's a closer," Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg said of Butler. "We put the ball in his hands, and he delivered."

Rondo and Robin Lopez added 16 points each as the Bulls (5-4) held off the Heat (2-5) in a game that featured 19 lead changes and 14 tie scores. The score was tied 53-53 at halftime and 70-70 after three quarters.

The teams were so closely matched through three quarters that they even had the same shooting percentage -- 41.5 percent on 27-for-65 from the floor.

And despite the win, the Bulls never led by more than six points.

Hassan Whiteside powered Miami with 20 points, a season-high 20 rebounds and three blocks. It was his sixth double-double in seven games this season.

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Heat point guard Goran Dragic injured his left ankle in the third quarter when he came down on the foot of Chicago forward Doug McDermott. Dragic did not return and finished with six points and four assists in 22 minutes.

"It hasn't gotten swollen yet," Spoelstra said of Dragic's ankle. "We'll just have to see."

Wade, the 6-foot-4 shooting guard, 12-time NBA All-Star and three-time NBA champion, had played his entire pro career with the Heat before bolting as free agent this past July.

The fifth pick in the 2003 draft, Wade signed a two-year, $47 million contract with Chicago after he felt, in essence, disrespected by the Heat's two-year, $40 million offer.

But all that seemed forgotten on Thursday.

During the game's first timeout, the Heat played a video montage of Wade's Heat highlights. The fans in the arena responded with a standing ovation for Wade, who raised both arms to salute the crowd.

"When they introduced his name, I thought he blinked a couple of times," Rondo said. "But he didn't let any (tears) drop.

"It's tough being back home. I'm sure he didn't sleep last night or today. There are so many things on your mind, so many people trying to get in touch with you. The best thing is when you can come home and get a win."

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NOTES: Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said he regretted not getting reserve F Udonis Haslem into the game. Spoelstra was referring to the fact that Haslem, who has played with Miami for his entire career, entered the NBA the same year as Wade. Spoelstra said he had planned on getting Haslem into the game in the second quarter but "didn't get around to it." ... While the Bulls were playing road games on consecutive nights, the Heat hadn't played since Monday and was the more rested team. ... Bulls PG Michael Carter-Williams made this road trip even though his bruised left knee will likely keep him out for another month. ... The Bulls are trying to get back to the postseason after missing the playoffs last season for the first time since 2008. ... The Heat beat the Bulls in all four matchups last season. ... Up next, the Heat plays host to the Utah Jazz on Saturday. ... The Bulls return home to face the Washington Wizards on Saturday.

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