Zydrunas Ilgauskas' doctors were perched by the bench, ready to put an end to his night. The Cavaliers had lost nine consecutive games. So why not go for the win?

That's what the Cavs did last night at Gund Arena. But forward Jumaine Jones' 3-pointer at the buzzer clanged off the back of the rim at the buzzer, and the Cavs fell 95-93 to Miami in overtime.

``I told Jumaine, `If it goes to you, you win the game and let's go home,' '' Cavs coach John Lucas said.

Jones wasn't the primary option when the Cavs inbounded the ball with three seconds left. Point guard Andre Miller first looked for Wesley Person, shooting 48 percent on 3-pointers, to win it. But Person was blanketed by Eddie Jones. Miller then was supposed to look to lob the ball to Ilgauskas, a 7-foot-3 center, or to find Ricky Davis, who could slash to hoop.

Ilgauskas looked to be open, but Miller instead got the ball to Jones. That wasn't all bad considering Jones is a 39 percent 3-point shooter.

``I couldn't have asked for a better shot than that to win a basketball game,'' Jones said. ``That's one of the best looks you can get. Unfortunately, it didn't go down.''

It was probably for the best that Cavs put up an all-or-nothing shot considering Ilgauskas wouldn't have been able to play in a second overtime. Ilgauskas, who is supposedly only allowed to play 28 minutes per game as he recovers from foot surgery, had played a season-high 31.

``I didn't look at the minutes,'' Lucas said. ``The doctors, Z's cabinet, sits right in the first row.''

The Cavs (13-28) are in such desperate need for a win that the doctors were willing to give Ilgauskas a few bonus minutes. The Cavs now have a 10-game losing streak for a second consecutive season. They haven't dropped 11 in a row since 1990-91.

``We've got to get our staff and organization feeling good again,'' Lucas said.

At least the Cavs, who looked as if they were going to get blown out when they fell behind by 15 in the second quarter, never sent up the white flag. That would have been very easy to do after Eddie Jones, who had 27 points, drilled a 20-footer to put the Heat (13-26) ahead 85-77 with 1:34 left in regulation.

The Cavs, though, were able to close regulation with a 10-2 spurt. Alonzo Mourning and Rod Strickland both hurt the Heat by missing foul shots in the final 22 seconds. That enabled Ilgauskas to tie the score 87-87 on two foul shots with 8.8 seconds left.

It was no surprise when the score was tied at the final buzzer. The teams played their third consecutive overtime game this season. The only other time that the Cavs have played three consecutive overtime games against the same team was 1974-75 against Atlanta.

The Cavs, who never led in regulation, had leads of 89-87 and 91-89 in overtime. Heat forward Brian Grant made the difference, though.

Grant broke a 91-91 tie on a 19-foot jumper with 1:22 left. He then put the Heat ahead 95-91 with a jumper from the identical spot left of the free-throw line with 45.5 seconds left.

``I was thinking that Ilgauskas was going to rotate to me slow,'' said Grant, who turned down a seven-year, $86 million contract offer by the Cavs when he was a free agent in 2000.

``I know I can hit the shot, so don't hesitate or second-guess yourself.''

Grant was the story in overtime, but Eddie Jones was the man in the first half for the Heat, which won its fifth in a row and beat the Cavs for the first time in four meetings this season. He scored 19 points, as the Heat took a 52-41 lead.

Person, though, was able to hold Jones to just two points in the third quarter while scoring 10 himself. Person led the Cavs with 19 points.

The Cavs had problems finding offense for much of the game.

They were playing without leading scorer Lamond Murray, who was put on the injured list earlier in the day with a broken nose. His replacement, Brian Skinner, managed one point.

It didn't look good for the Cavs when Davis and Ilgauskas both had to miss the morning shootaround with the flu. But Davis was able to score 12 points in 26 minutes and Ilgauskas had 13 points and nine rebounds.

``I thought Z was the best I have seen him,'' Lucas said.

Maybe that's why the doctors allowed him some bonus minutes. But don't think they would have been so giving in a second overtime.