Heat Ousts the Nets

The Miami Heat and New Jersey Nets alternated blowouts in the first two games, giving every indication these Eastern Conference semifinals could be epic.

But Dwyane Wade and the Heat made all the biggest plays thereafter, right until the last second of the Nets’ season.

Wade stole Jason Kidd’s inbounds pass as the last second ticked off Tuesday night in Miami, depriving the Nets of one last shot to extend their season and securing the Heat’s 106-105 victory to win the best-of-seven series, 4-1. Miami advanced to the conference finals for the second year in a row.

“With one second left, all you want to do is make it tough,” Wade said. “And I was able to get there, get my hand on the ball, and that was all she wrote.”

The Heat will face Detroit or Cleveland next.

“We’re focused now on eight more wins,” said Shaquille O’Neal, who had 17 points.

The Heat rallied from 12 points down, the biggest playoff comeback in franchise history. Antoine Walker had 23 points, Wade added 21 and four other Heat players were in double figures to offset stellar efforts by Vince Carter and Richard Jefferson, who had 33 points apiece.

Carter had three baskets over a 90-second stretch that drew the Nets within 106-105 with 29.1 seconds left. The Nets regained the ball after a Heat miss before Wade made his big play.

“We’ve got to be able to get a shot in that situation. I let my guys down,” Nets Coach Lawrence Frank said. “That’s a poor job on my part.”

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The Cleveland Cavaliers flew to St. Louis to attend the funeral of the 20-year-old brother of guard Larry Hughes. Justin Hughes, who was born with a heart defect and had a transplant in 1997, died last week.... Acquired in a midseason trade from Sacramento for Ron Artest, Indiana forward Peja Stojakovic, 28, wants to re-sign with the Pacers and finish his career with the team when he becomes a free agent next month, his agent said.