Makeshift is all right

A mix and match lineup handles miserable Magic

MIAMI — This was supposed to be the night the Miami Heat were going to celebrate being whole, with Hassan Whiteside finally back in the lineup.

Instead, there was an 11-point hole to dig out from against the Orlando Magic, with a roster that remains numbingly shorthanded.

Through it all, the Heat emerged with a 107-89 victory Tuesday night at AmericanAirlines Arena that pushed them to 18-16, matching their high-water mark above .500 this season.

With Whiteside limited to a supporting role in his first game back after missing the previous 13 with a bone bruise on his left knee, the remaining teammates in revamped lineup ultimately the night.

With Dion Waiters, Justise Winslow still out, and now with James Johnson again joining them on the sidelines, the Heat instead relied on the likes of Goran Dragic, Josh Richardson, Kelly Olynyk, Tyler Johnson and Wayne Ellington to make it seven victories in their last 10 games.

It was ugly early, with Dragic still dealing with a sore left elbow and later Tyler Johnson twisting his left ankle, but through it all the Heat found a way to even their home record at 8-8.

Whiteside closed with seven points and eight rebounds in 18 minutes, with rookie Bam Adebayo in the middle amid the Heat’s decisive surge.

Richardson led the Heat with 20 points, supported by 18 points on six 3-pointers yet another carried