NBA -- Whiteside helps power Heat past Lakers, 100-94.

MIAMI- Hassan Whiteside scored seven of his 18 points and grabbed five of his career-high 25 rebounds in the last minute of the fourth quarter to help Miami escape against the Los Angeles Lakers, 100-94, at the American Airlines Arena..

It was a dominant performance for Whiteside who also had four blocks in the ball game. Dwyane Wade scored 25 points and six assists while Goran Dragic added 21 points for Miami.

Wade had kind words on Whiteside after the game, "He's what you call special. He's so long, everything that goes off the rim, he has it. He's for real about what he does. He protects the basket, and then when he gets mad, he'll dunk on everybody."

Wade added, "He's very, very important to this team's success."

Jeremy Lin's 19-footer gave the visiting Lakers an 88-85 lead with 5 minutes 50 seconds left. They wouldn't score another basket until Jordan Hill's layup with a little over a minute left in the ballgame.

Despite their untimely drought, the Lakers still had a chance to tie the ballgame wih 16.9 seconds to go but Filipino American Jordan Clarkson missed a game-tying three pointer which eventually sealed the fate for the visitors.

Wayne Ellington and Ed Davis led seven Laker players in double figures and finished with 14 points apiece while Clarkson chipped in 10 points and 7 rebounds in a losing cause.

" We just had a couple of defensive lapses," Lakers head coach Byron Scott spoke after the game. "When Whiteside got the dunk, weak side wasn't there. You've got to do it in the heat of the battle. We just didn't do it in the last couple of minutes."

The Lakers fall to 16-44 basically out of playoff contention in the West and will have the Memphis Grizzlies next on their road trip.

While the Heat (27-33) will try and continue its stronghold of the 7th spot in the Eastern Conference standings as they travel friday to the nations capital to battle the Washington Wizards.