It didn't matter. The Miami forward was at his best, posting 42 points, nine rebounds and six assists while carrying the Heat past the Dallas Mavericks, 117-106.
Dallas led 95-92 when swingman Vince Carter completed a four-point play with 7:47 left in the game. Miami then turned to a swarming defense that was missing for most of a very entertaining offensive game. The Heat produced a 16-0 run, extending the lead to 106-95 with 3:21 to go. Dallas finally ended its drought when center Samuel Dalembert hit the second of two free throws with 2:29 to go to make it 106-96.
The Mavericks went five minutes without scoring and six minutes between field goals as Miami closed out the game with a 25-8 run.
Dallas had a chance to earn a big home win in its first game since defeating the East-leading Indiana Pacers on the road in the final game before the All-Star break. However, the Mavericks' opportunity slipped away during the opening four minutes of the final quarter.
James took a breather while Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki, who finished with 22 points, nine rebounds and seven assists, was hard at work trying to extend Dallas' small lead.
Instead, the Heat held a one-point lead by the time James checked back in.
James wound up hitting 16-of-23 shots. Miami guard Dwyane Wade was limited to 13 points on 4-for-7 shooting. He also had seven assists. Heat forward Chris Bosh added 22 points on 8-for-12 shooting, plus five rebounds. Reserve big man Chris Andersen scored 18 points, and guard Mario Chalmers added 10 points and nine assists.
Dallas got 15 points from Carter off the bench. Mavericks guard Monta Ellis, guard Jose Calderon and backup center Brandan Wright each scored 12 points, but they combined to shoot 13-for-35 from the floor.
Heat backup center Greg Oden had an impact at both ends in the first half. He scored five points on a finger roll and a dunk that became a three-point play with the foul. He also helped quiet Wright, who had a fast run of three thunderous dunks before the insertion of the 7’0” Oden.
In five minutes of action, Oden finished with the five points and one rebound. - Reuters
The scores:
HEAT 117 - James 42, Bosh 22, Andersen 18, Wade 13, Chalmers 10, Oden 5, Cole 3, Beasley 2, Battier 2, Allen 0
MAVERICKS 106 - Nowitzki 22, Carter 15, Calderon 12, Ellis 12, Wright 12, Harris 9, Marion 7, Dalembert 7, Crowder 5, Ellington 3, Blair 2, James 0, Larkin 0
Miami 30-30-24-33
Dallas 28-26-31-21
source: gmanetwork.com
