Hornets douse Heat to seal NBA play-off berth

The New Orleans Hornets sealed their National Basketball Association playoff berth with a 93-87 overtime victory over the Miami Heat.

Rasual Butler made a tying three-pointer as regulation time expired and David West hit the go-ahead jump shot with eight seconds left in overtime en route to the victory.

Chris Paul scored 26 points with nine rebounds and nine assists, and Peja Stojakovic chipped in 24 points for the Hornets who improved to 48-29.

Miami's Dwyane Wade scored 32 points for the Heat, who remained one-half game ahead of Philadelphia for the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference, and fell three games behind Atlanta for the fourth seed.

Philadelphia fell 101-98 to Charlotte on Tuesday, while Atlanta beat Toronto 118-110.

With 10.6 seconds to play in regulation, Wade made one of two free throws. Butler corraled the loose ball and made his three-pointer to force overtime.

Wade knotted the score at 87-87 with 33 seconds to play in overtime, but West responded with a jump shot.

Wade then lost the ball, Stojakovic gained control of it and was fouled. He made both free throws to secure the victory.

Wade, who argued he was fouled, was thrown out of the game with 1.4 seconds left.

The Heat were not at full strength. Guard Daequan Cook missed the game with a mild shoulder sprain suffered on Saturday, and Miami were already without forward Udonis Haslem (thumb) and guard Luther Head (hand), who are expected to miss the final four regular-season games.