Source: AFP,
WASHINGTON - LeBron James scored 32 points and added 7 rebounds and 6 assists as the Miami Heat rallied in the final seconds to edge Washington 95-94 and extend their NBA win streak to 12 games.
Dwyane Wade, who hit the deciding free throw with 7.9 seconds remaining and Chris Bosh each scored 20 points for the Heat. Bosh, who scored 12 points in the fourth quarter, also had nine rebounds.
Nick Young scored 30 points and Andray Blatche added 20 points and 12 rebounds but late turnovers and missed free throws left the Wizards frustrated and mired in a seven-game losing skid.
The Heat improved to 21-8, second only to Boston in the Eastern Conference, while the Wizards fell to 6-19, worst in the conference.
US President Barack Obama had been expected to attend the game at one point in the afternoon but extra security precautions were withdrawn hours before the game as he did not make an appearance, missing a stellar rally by the Heat.
James stole the ball and slammed down a breakaway dunk to pull Miami within 89-86 but the Wizards answered with 32 seconds to play on a jumper by Josh Howard, making his season debut after missing 24 games with a torn left knee ligament.
Bosh answered with a 3-pointer to pull the Heat within 91-89 but Howard hit a key free throw, grabbed his own miss from the line and sank 1-of-2 from the line again after being fouled to give Washington a 93-89 edge.
Bosh was fouled on a 3-point attempt by Blatche with 16 seconds to play and the Miami forward went 2-of-3 from the line to lift the Heat within 93-91.
But Young lost the inbounds pass and after the turnover, Young fouled Miami's James Jones, who sank two free throws with 13 seconds remaining to pull the Heat level at 93-93.
Kirk Hinrich, the first Wizard to play every minute of a game since 2007, hit 1-of-2 from the line with 12 seconds to play.
But Wade was fouled on a drive to the hoop with 7.9 seconds to play and made two free throws to give Miami a 95-94 lead, their first advantage since early in the third quarter.
Hinrich missed a last shot and Miami's win streak remained intact while Washington's futility continued in heartbreaking fashion.
Blatche sank a jumper at the buzzer to give the Wizards a 74-72 lead after three quarters and ignite a 10-2 Washington run that put the hosts ahead 82-74 as late as 6:20 from the finish.
Chris Bosh had a basket and a free throw as Miami pulled within 84-77 but the Heat struggled to close the gap as Hilton Armstrong blocked a Dwyane Wade shot inside and LeBron James was called for a charging foul.
Bosh rebounded a blocked Wade shot to pull Miami within 84-79 with 4:10 to play. Washington's Blatche hit a free throw but Bosh answered with two of his own from the line to trim the deficit to 85-81 with 3:32 remaining.
James missed a 3-pointer on Miami's next possession and Young answered for the Wizards with a jumper.
James followed with two free throws for Miami but Blatche hit a jumper to give Washington an 89-83 edge with 2:10 to play, setting up the final drama.
Source: AFP,
MIAMI – Chris Bosh scored 27 points and Dwyane Wade added 26 to power the Miami Heat to their fourth consecutive NBA victory, an 89-77 triumph over the Atlanta Hawks.
Two-time NBA Most Valuable Player LeBron James added 22 points for Miami in his first game since an emotional homecoming victory at Cleveland two nights earlier, where "King James" was booed by the fans he spurned to come to Miami.
Miami improved to 13-8 to pull into a share of second place in the Southeast division with the Hawks, who saw their five-game win streak snapped.
Only Orlando and Boston have better records in the Eastern Conference, the Heat appearing to have found the form expected of them when Bosh, James and Wade were assembled as a superstar trio.
"We're figuring it out," James said. "We're figuring out what it takes for us three to be successful and to have the team win."
The Heat scored 11 points in a row in the dying minutes to deny Atlanta after the Hawks rallied to make it tight.
"It's just a better feel in the locker room, away from the game, but also on the basketball court," Wade said. "We're starting to 'get it' with each other.
"It's making a world of difference."
Wade and Bosh each grabbed 10 rebounds for Miami, who saw their lead trimmed to 74-72 with 4:39 to play. But the Hawks missed their next six shots and Miami went on their run, which included a slam dunk by James, for an 85-72 edge.
James supporters chanted "Miami loves you" -- a response to Cleveland chants of "Akron hates you" in a reference to the hometown of James.
"We got the crowd into it and we won," Bosh said.
Al Horford led Atlanta with 22 points, hitting 10-of-11 from the field, while Jamal Crawford and Josh Powell each added 12 for the Hawks, who trailed by as many as 17 points in the first half.
"They are a tough team," Hawks coach Larry Drew said. "Anytime you have three guys that can potentially be 20-plus (points) every night, you have got your hands full."
Source: Reuters,
MEMPHIS – Rudy Gay landed a 15-foot buzzer-beater over LeBron James to snap the Memphis Grizzlies five-game losing streak with a 97-95 win over the Miami Heat on Saturday (Sunday, in Manila).
Reserve Zach Randolph led the Grizzlies (5-9) with 21 points and 13 rebounds, Mike Conley had 16 points and Gay added 15 as Memphis snapped the Heat's three-game winning streak.
"This was the most unified we've been," Grizzlies head coach Lionel Hollins said. "That's how you win tough, close games, everybody rooting for each other, everybody picking each other up."
It was a tight contest throughout with the teams trading the lead constantly in a back-and-forth second half.
"That's a tough loss," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "We just could not find a way to get over the hump."
James and Chris Bosh carried the Heat (8-5) in the absence of Dwyane Wade, who did not play due to a left wrist injury. James scored a game high 29 points and added 11 assists while Bosh scored 20 points and had 10 rebounds.
Eddie House came off the bench to score 20 points, including six three-pointers, but there was more bad news for the Heat when forward Udonis Haslem collided with Randolph late in the third quarter and was carried off the court.
"It's huge," said James of Haslem's injury. "He's like our heart of our team. He's our power. He's our pride. He brings everything every night. Size never really matters to him. He always plays above his height, plays above his weight."
Source: AP,
NEWARK, NEW JERSEY —LeBron James scored 20 points, and Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade were close behind as the Miami Heat ended the New Jersey Nets’ two-game unbeaten start with a 101-78 victory Sunday.
Bosh finished with 18 points and Wade added 17, both getting most of them in Miami’s dominant first half before sitting out the fourth quarter. James played a little of the final period and added seven rebounds and seven assists.
It was the most impressive offensive performance yet for the Heat, who have won three straight since beginning their new era with a loss in Boston on opening night. Miami shot 68 percent in the first half, when its Big Three combined for 41 points—one fewer than New Jersey—and the stats only lowered when the reserves took over toward the end.
Mavericks 99, Clippers 83
At Los Angeles, Jason Kidd ended the first half with a 65-foot shot-put heave from inside the 3-point arc at the opposite end, and Caron Butler scored 17 points and Shawn Marion had 10 of his 12 points in the fourth quarter as Dallas beat the Los Angeles Clippers.
Dirk Nowitzki added 16 points and seven rebounds for the defending Southwest Division champions in their first road game of the season. Kidd finished with 13 points, nine rebounds and seven assists.
Rookie Blake Griffin had 16 points and nine rebounds for the Clippers, who fell to 0-3 on the season under new coach Vinny Del Negro. None of the starters reached double digits until Griffin converted a slam dunk with 5:32 left in the third quarter.
Source: AFP,
PHILADELPHIA - Miami's Big Three won their first game as the trio combined for 61 points as the Heat spoiled Philadelphia's home opener with a 97-87 win Wednesday (Thursday, in Manila).
Dwyane Wade scored a game-high 30 points while LeBron James (16) and Chris Bosh (15) also did their part for the Heat who rebounded from an opening night loss to the Boston Celtics.
"We're not at our peak, we're not even close," Wade said. "Eventually when it's time to be there, we will."
Wade made of 10-of-20 from the floor and went 9-of-12 from the free throw line. Wade also had seven rebounds and dished out four assists.
"He was letting the game come to him," said Miami head coach Eric Spoelstra. "He is a feel type player and I think he felt a lot more comfortable tonight and was able to get to the rim."
James Jones buried six three pointers for the Heat who hit three straight three-pointers in the third quarter to bust open an eight-point halftime lead.
The Heat tried but couldn't run away with it as the Sixers went on a 15-3 run late in the fourth to make it close.
The Heat shot 50 percent from three-point range. It was sufficient enough to make up for mediocre shooting nights from James and Bosh (combined 11 for 24).
"When we have our long ball going like that, it's unlimited what we can do offensively," said James who had nine turnovers.
Miami may not have been able to the Celtics but James' former team did it.
Playing its first game in seven years without James, the Cleveland Cavaliers defeated Boston 95-87 in their season opener.
J.J. Hickson scored 21 points, Daniel Gibson added 16 and the Cavaliers made several big, clutch plays to hold off the Celtics, who defeated James and Miami on Tuesday.
"This was for the city," forward Antawn Jamison said. "It was for the fans to let them know the Cavs will survive and this is a place where you can still watch good basketball. And most of all, you can watch a team that wins."
Rajon Rondo scored 18, Ray Allen 12 and Kevin Garnett had 15 rebounds for Boston, which led by 11 points in the third quarter.
In Denver, Carmelo Anthony scored 23 points, Arron Afflalo added 22 and the Denver Nuggets opened the season with a 110-88 win over the Utah Jazz in coach George Karl's return to the bench.
Chauncey Billups had 14 points and eight assists, while Shelden Williams grabbed 16 rebounds.
Deron Williams had 17 points for the Jazz, who finished 8-0 in the preseason for the first time in franchise history.
Anthony, the subject of trade rumors all summer, and Karl received the loudest ovations in pregame introductions.
Karl missed the final two months of last season after being diagnosed with throat and neck cancer.
