The Heat played as ugly a game as you'll see in the NBA on Monday night against the Warriors, but by the end of the night they were able to take comfort in their performance.

Not solely because it won 85-79 at The Arena in Oakland, but because the Heat finally showed what coach Pat Riley was begging for before the game: heart. Miami hadn't shown much of that lately, but it found it in the fourth quarter against Golden State.

The Heat used a 15-2 run late in the period to send the Warriors to their seventh straight defeat. It was Miami's second victory over the Warriors in eight days after a 92-84 win on Jan. 6 at AmericanAirlines Arena.

This game provided what was expected from two cellar dwellers -- ugliness. The Heat, sitting at the bottom of the Atlantic Division, had lost three straight coming in. The Warriors, who reside in the basement of the Pacific Division, hadn't won since Dec. 26.

So it wasn't exactly a setting for riveting basketball. And it was anything but.

The Heat offense was, as usual, uninspiring through the first three quarters. Miami's league-worst offense made 13 field goals in the first half on its way to 35 points and 34.2 percent shooting. Aside from center Alonzo Mourning, who made five of his first six shot attempts, Miami had few highlights.

Guard Eddie Jones couldn't find his touch, shooting 3 for 12 in the first half for nine points. His frustration reached its pinnacle when he found himself alone behind the three-point arc after an offensive rebound. Staring at a wide-open basket, he unloaded a three-pointer that rolled around the rim and out. He trotted downcourt, reduced to laughing and shaking his head at his plight.

Jones did rally in the second half with 19 points to finish with a game-high 28, one off his season high of 29.

Forward Brian Grant had one of his most ineffective performances of the season. In foul trouble most of the night, he didn't score a point or grab a rebound. Grant picked up his third foul with 3:07 left in the second quarter and his fourth with 10:32 to play in the third. The latter prompted coach Pat Riley to sit him for the rest of the game.

Point guard Rod Strickland continued to distribute the ball well -- he had eight assists -- but his offense has been nonexistent. Strickland finished with eight points but did not score until he buried a 15-footer with 7:35 remaining.

It was to be expected that two teams that have been equally bad of late would match each other most of the way.

For much of the first half, a basket separated the teams. After the first quarter, Golden State led 18-17. At halftime, the Warriors held a two-point lead, 37-35. And after the third quarter, it was 56-54 Golden State.

As the game remained tight into the fourth period, Golden State broke away slightly with a six-point lead on Bob Sura's driving layup off a loose ball and Chris Mills' technical foul free throw seconds later. With just more than eight minutes left, the Warriors led 66-60.

But Miami proceeded to go on its 15-2 run covering just more than five minutes, propelling it to a 79-70 lead with 1:54 remaining. Jones hit a pair of three-pointers during the stretch and scored nine in the final quarter. Mourning (15 points) and LaPhonso Ellis contributed, too, both hitting clutch baskets to sustain the late push.

Larry Hughes led the Warriors with 19 points.