Christie Makes His Presence Felt : Pro basketball: In most productive game since returning from ankle injury, he contributes 17 points as Lakers defeat Miami, 84-81.

The ankle went back into the ice bucket, which by now must seem like an extension of Doug Christie’s left leg. Just as frustration has been a constant companion.

But Monday night was different. After averaging only 5.1 points and 15.4 minutes and making 36.7% of his shots in his first 16 games back after suffering a severely sprained ankle, the new Christie looked a lot like the old Christie for a change, contributing 17 points and four steals in 32 minutes as the Lakers defeated the Miami Heat, 84-81, at the Forum.

“To me, it was a nice win for us,” Coach Randy Pfund said. “But more than that, I feel great for Doug.”

It was the most points Christie has scored since getting 19 on Jan. 5 at Sacramento and the most he has played since Jan. 9 at home against San Antonio, the day before he was injured. That six of the points and two of the steals came in the decisive fourth quarter, when he played 11 minutes as the Lakers turned in another strong defensive effort by limiting the Heat to 11 points, only made his impact that much greater.

“A game like this can definitely give me confidence coming back,” said Christie, especially pleased with his defensive contributions. “But I’m not going to put everything in one basket with this game. I still have to go to Dallas (Wednesday) and Houston (Thursday) and play like this.”

Closing out a four-game home stand, all against teams from the Atlantic Division, the Lakers trailed almost the entire game before pulling ahead at 77-76 on Sedale Threatt’s baseline jumper, their first lead since 4-2. When Threatt made a three-pointer in their next possession, the Lakers went up, 80-77. Vlade Divac’s shot from the left side gave them an 82-77 lead. It came with three seconds left on the shot clock and 1:58 to play, prompting a Heat timeout.

Still without a field goal since the 6:31 mark, the Heat finally broke the drought on Brian Shaw’s three-pointer with 1:22 to play, making the score 82-80. Grant Long could have tied the score after being fouled, but, after making one free throw with 19.8 seconds remaining, missed the second.

When Divac, who had 15 rebounds, was fouled and made both free throws with 14.4 seconds remaining, accounting for the last of his 13 points, the Lakers had an 84-81 lead and braced for the onslaught of three-pointers. Bimbo Coles got off three in the final seven seconds, including one at the buzzer, but all were off target.

The prelim was Harold Miner’s one-man slam dunk contest during warm-ups, an assortment of off-the-backboard and spin dunks. It was a fitting opener for the Heat, which came in 10 games above .500 for the first time in franchise history and winner of 12 of 14.

The hitch is that, among those 14, only New Jersey, Phoenix and Cleveland had winning records at the time they played the Heat, and the Cavaliers were without Brad Daugherty, Mark Price, Larry Nance, Tyrone Hill and John Battle when the teams met Saturday.

Instead, the Heat’s bragging rights may come from the 19-12 road record coming in, tying it with Chicago and New York for the second-most victories away from home. Only the Seattle SuperSonics, with 22, have more.

“In general, we have been playing well all year,” Heat Coach Kevin Loughery said.