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A look at the starting lineups, inactive lists and referees for Friday night’s game between the Miami Heat and Utah Jazz at EnergySolutions Arena: Starting lineups

HEAT (28-7)

Center: Joel Anthony

Power forward: Shane Battier.

Small forward: LeBron James

Shooting guard: Dwyane Wade

Point guard: Mario Chalmers

  Inactive: Mickell Gladness, //, //Chris Bosh.

JAZZ (16-18)

Center: Al Jefferson

Power forward: Paul Millsap

Small forward: Josh Howard

Shooting guard: Gordon Hayward

Point guard: Devin Harris

  Inactive: Raja Bell.

Referees: Greg Willard, Kane Fitzgerald, Michael Smith.

Pregame note of note: LeBron James has recorded at least five steals in consecutive games, becoming only the third Heat player (Tim Hardaway and Eddie Jones) to do so.

SALT LAKE CITY — With the game on the line and the ball in the hands of the NBA’s best player this year, the NBA’s best team was in perfect position to break the hearts of the Utah Jazz, who had led the Miami Heat for nearly the entire game Friday night at EnergySolutions Arena.

As the final seconds ticked down, LeBron James, who had already scored 35 points and made 8 of 9 shots in the fourth quarter alone, took the ball at the top of the key and . . . passed the ball to Udonis Haslem, a reserve who had taken only four shots all night.

Haslem’s 15-footer bounded off the back of the rim and the Jazz and their sold-out crowd breathed a sigh of relief, then celebrated like they hadn’t all season.

The question everyone had afterward was, why didn’t “King James” take the final shot?

It was reminiscent of the NBA All-Star Game just five days earlier when James did the same thing in the waning seconds and his team trailing. Instead of taking the possible winning shot, he tried to pass it crosscourt only to have it intercepted. He was criticized for not wanting to take the shot, as he will be for not doing it again against the Jazz Friday.

“He passed it off, I guess he felt like there was too much pressure on him,” said Utah’s Josh Howard, who had the defensive assignment on James most of the night. Howard was probably talking about the defensive pressure he and Paul Millsap put on James, but it could also refer to James’ unwillingness to take the big shot at the end of a game.

When James was asked about his decision to pass rather than shoot, he said, “Josh Howard stayed on my right hand and forced me down and Millsap was at the elbow. Knowing the percentages of what (Haslem) shoots from the free throw line, he got a good look at it.”

James acknowledged that Haslem “might not have felt comfortable taking it.” because he hadn’t taken many shots all night. But he also said, “We got a good look, it just didn’t go.”

Miami coach Erik Spoelstra wasn’t about to criticize his superstar for the decision, saying “we got an open shot” and James “made the right play.”

James had been lights out in the final quarter and brought back bad memories to some Jazz fans of Michael Jordan, who once led his team back from a 20-point deficit in the final half by seemingly making every shot he tried.

It was a game full of emotion, dramatics, ups and downs, intensity, atmosphere and tremendous play by both teams.

When the buzzer sounded, the gritty Utah Jazz edged the highly publicized juggernaut Miami Heat 99-98 on Devin Harris’ three-point play with 4.5 seconds left. Udonis Haslem’s last-second jump shot clanked off the win, securing one of Utah’s most impressive victories of the season. In winning their second straight game, Utah snapped Miami’s nine-game winning streak.

It was an outing that featured some dazzling streak — the Jazz dominating the first half and then Miami in the second, as the Heat stormed back to take the lead in the final minute. After a pair of difficult jumpers by Miami’s LeBron James, the Jazz found themselves down by two with 13 seconds to go. Taking a pass from a double-teamed Al Jefferson, Harris dribbled in and was fouled on an off-balanced floater that rolled in. His free throw provided the final margin for the Utah win.

Ballistic bench: For much of the second quarter, Utah head coach Tyrone Corbin utilized a lineup composed of Enes Kanter, Derrick Favors, C.J. Miles, Alec Burks and Earl Watson. This quintet injected life and momentum into the game for the Jazz. With their combination of athleticism, hustle, length and teamwork, these five helped Utah to dart out to a steady double-digit lead.

Each player positively impacted the game for Utah. Rookie center Kanter had one of his finest outings in his young career, putting 11 points and six rebounds on the board. He was extremely active and showed some adept post-up moves that resulted in a pair of integral baskets in the fourth quarter. He also was strong defensively.

Miles had his third consecutive strong outing since the All-Star break, tallying 14 points and five boards of his own. He had two strong putbacks off offensive rebounds in the second stanza.

Burks’ playing time was limited in the second half, but he managed to add six points in just eight minutes, including a pair of smooth perimeter shots.

Favors also had some nice defensive moments, including one crowd-pleasing blocked shot. And the veteran Watson was the catalyst for it all, doling out seven assists, along with his standard defensive effort.