Suddenly, the Miami Heat are getting the calls, receiving the breaks, facing teams not at full strength.

And they are benefiting, winning 12 of their past 15 and climbing out of the Atlantic Division basement for the first time since the first month of the season.

"Fate had its turn on us," forward Brian Grant said. "When everyone else was healthy, everyone was looking at us saying, `what's happening?'

"(Friday) night they were saying we came in like bandits and took the game like thieves. But this year, we had about 30 nights where thieves stole the game from us."

The officials took the game from the Bucks on Friday, missing a call in the final 10 seconds that should have given Milwaukee the ball with a three-point lead. Instead, Eddie Jones was allowed to pick up his dribble and take another dribble, keeping alive a possession that ended seconds later with Jimmy Jackson's three-pointer at the buzzer. The Heat then won in overtime.

"What happened back in November and December . . . I don't even remember all the situations, but they would get a long rebound, make a three or something," coach Pat Riley said. "I remember some of that stuff. Jimmy Jackson went and got the long rebound (Friday) to give us a chance."

The Heat are not sympathetic. Rather, they just credit the odds, saying luck and fate and bad calls even out, and that they had their share while starting 5-23.

Back then, it was Miami missing Alonzo Mourning or Grant or Rod Strickland or Kendall Gill for long stretches. And other teams were rallying, or hitting shots at the buzzer.

Now, while the Heat are healthy, other teams are starting to break down.

In the past month, Miami has played the Lakers without Shaquille O'Neal, the Knicks without Marcus Camby and the Bucks without Sam Cassell. Today, Minnesota won't have point guard Terrell Brandon, who will undergo surgery this week to repair damaged cartilage in his left leg and is out for the season.

"This stuff happens all the time," Jones said. "Everything is in cycles. Right now, we've got everybody healthy and we're playing teams who have guys hurt."

Whether it is too late to make a run at the playoffs is unknown. The Heat (20-29) have not gained much ground in the past 15 games, remaining 4 1/2 games out of the final playoff spot, with Charlotte and Philadelphia tied for No. 8.

Miami finally passed the Knicks on Friday, pushing New York to the bottom of the Atlantic Division.

"I remember when we were 5-23," Mourning said. "There are games where we didn't get the bounces. But those games we lost we didn't deserve to win. We're winning now. In games when teams are making runs at us now, we would have lost in November."

? Noteworthy: Point guard Eddie House will undergo an MRI on his right knee, which he strained Friday. If House's injury is significant, it would create a spot for point guard Anthony Carter, who is on the trip but has not been activated.