Lakers-Heat Preview

By JORDAN GARRETSON
Posted Feb 09 2013 4:16PM

The Miami Heat took down one Los Angeles team in their last game. They'll only wait two days to get a shot at the other one.

If LeBron James continues his stellar stretch of play, the Heat have to like their chances to continue their recent domination of the visiting Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday.

James is in the midst of another MVP-caliber season and has been all but unstoppable during Miami's four-game winning streak, averaging 30.8 points and 72.9 percent from the field.

He scored 30 and shot 9 of 11 to lead the Heat to a 111-89 victory over the Clippers on Friday, lifting a team that was without Chris Bosh and Ray Allen due to the flu. Miami (33-14) improved to 21-3 at home.

"He's the best player in the game and he's continuing to reinvent himself," coach Erik Spoelstra said. "This guy isn't trying to shy away from work ethic or preparation. He's getting after it. Our film sessions, he treats them like he's a coach. He sees something, he'll point it out to the guys.

"He's continuing to improve. And quite frankly, we need it."

James is shooting a career-best 56.0 percent, and his 42.0 percent 3-point shooting is a sizeable improvement from last season's 36.2 mark that was also the highest of his career.

"I want to continue to push the button, continue to get better, maximize my potential and not waste an opportunity," said James, averaging 31.7 points in his last three games against Los Angeles.

He scored a season-high 39 and shot 17 of 25 to lead the Heat to their fifth win in six meetings with the Lakers, 99-90 on Jan. 17.

The Lakers continue to seek offensive continuity despite having the chance to close out a seven-game road trip with 5-2 record.

Los Angeles (24-27) has followed a four-game skid by winning seven of nine, though the most recent victory - 100-93 at Charlotte on Friday - wasn't exactly impressive. The Lakers trailed by 20 in the second half.

Kobe Bryant came to the rescue by scoring all 20 of his points after the break and finished with eight assists and seven rebounds. The star guard, however, wasn't pleased with his team's offensive execution.

"We have to play the right way," Bryant said. "When we have shots available, we take them. If we don't, move the ball on. It can't be about individual touches. It can't be about that."

The Lakers are still having trouble taking care of the ball despite their surge, averaging 14.8 turnovers during the 7-2 stretch - just below their season mark of 15.3 that's among the most in the league.

Acting as the facilitator for the offense, Bryant's 5.3 assists per game are his most in five seasons and he's averaging 8.1 in the last nine contests.

"I think in the future that is how you're going to see us play with Kobe getting guys involved early on," reserve forward Antawn Jamison said. "Seeing how it goes, and then as the game goes into the fourth quarter he begins to take over a little bit."

Bryant struggled to find his shot in the first meeting, scoring 22 but going 8 of 25 from the floor as the Lakers committed 20 turnovers to six by the Heat. Dwyane Wade added 27 points for Miami.

James scores 32 more, Heat top Lakers 107-97

By TIM REYNOLDS
Posted Feb 10 2013 10:38PM

MIAMI (AP) LeBron James ran a few steps behind the play, knowing exactly what was coming. The lob from Norris Cole arrived, and the NBA's reigning MVP rose for a catch and dunk.

He made it look easy.

He's making everything look easy right now.

James scored 32 points on 12-for-18 shooting in a record-setting show, Dwyane Wade scored 30 and the Miami Heat beat the Los Angeles Lakers 107-97 on Sunday for their fifth straight win.

It was James' fifth straight game with at least 30 points, a franchise record. He also joined Adrian Dantley (1979) and Moses Malone (1982) as the only NBA players to score at least 30 and shoot at least 60 percent in five straight outings, the team said.

"Don't take it for granted," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "He's making greatness look easy."

Mario Chalmers scored 13 and Chris Bosh finished with 12 points and 11 rebounds for the Heat.

Kobe Bryant had 28 points and nine assists for the Lakers, who also got 18 points from Earl Clark. The Lakers had eight turnovers in the fourth quarter, while Miami had none.

"Turnovers," lamented Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni. "You have to give them credit. They're good."

With the win, Miami moved 2 1/2 games clear of the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference standings. The Knicks lost to the Los Angeles Clippers earlier Sunday.

Dwight Howard and Steve Nash each scored 15 for the Lakers.

"They have a couple of sensational players over there that made some big plays," Bryant said.

Indeed, James and Wade stole the show down the stretch.

Wade also shot 12 for 18 for Miami, which shot 55 percent as a team and held a 38-29 edge in rebounding. James scored 20 in the second half and Wade had 18 in the final two quarters, but the defending NBA champions weren't able to pull away until the final minutes.

Wade had five straight points for Miami, the last of them coming with 7:15 left when his three-point play put the Heat up 89-82 - at that point, their biggest lead of the day.

A minute later, Wade started what might have been Miami's signature sequence of the game.

He stepped in front of a pass by Bryant under the basket, then flipped it to Bosh before falling out of bounds. Bosh got the ball to Cole, who beat Nash down the court, then lobbed a pass over his head to James, who soared for a slam that gave the Heat a seven-point lead once again.

"You could feel the buzz in the arena today," James said. "We were just happy that we were able to play our game, weather some of their storms that they had and come out with a win."

With 3:25 left, James turned in another highlight.

He stole a pass, drove down the court and Nash - who found himself in the lane against a fast-charging James plenty of times Sunday, all to no avail - simply had no chance.

It was almost as if Nash wasn't even in James' field of vision. He leaped for a dunk, giving him 30 points and the franchise record, and Miami's lead was nine. Bryant scored on the next Lakers possession, but Shane Battier hit a 3-pointer with 2:42 left to put Miami up 100-90 for the first double-digit lead for either team all day.

That was the last gasp for the Lakers, who finished their road trip at 4-3.

"We had our chances, but we weren't good enough tonight," Nash said. "We had too many breakdowns and we had opportunities to stretch the lead at times in the game and we couldn't do that either so probably in the end we didn't deserve it."

The teams finished the first half tied at 53, and the third period didn't allow either team much in the way of breathing room either, until the final seconds.

That's when James started flexing some muscle.

James scored Miami's last 11 points of the third, all in the final 4:20, and four of those came in the last six seconds. He was fouled by Clark and made the first free throw. Then the second attempt was tipped back out by Battier to James, who was just beyond the 3-point line. He connected from there, and the Heat took a 78-73 lead into the fourth.

It took a few more minutes, but eventually James and Wade helped Miami put it away.

"D-Wade came and he just started cooking in the fourth quarter," Bryant said. "He started doing what D-Wade does and made sensational play after sensational play."

Rapper Lil Wayne - a semi-regular in the crowd at Heat games - was there for the first half, then tweeted that he was ejected for rooting for the Lakers. Security personnel were seen talking to the rapper at halftime, and a Heat spokesman said after the game that he chose to leave on his own and was not ejected.

NOTES: The Heat have now won six of their last seven games against the Lakers. ... James made his first five shots, which left him at 42 for his last 52 attempts from the floor to that point, a ridiculous 81-percent clip. ... Bryant had five assists in the first quarter, tying a season best. ... Celebrities in attendance included Miami Hurricanes coach Jim Larranaga, pro golfer Justin Rose and Donald Trump. ... LSU football coach Les Miles live-tweeted the game, noting that James is "more athletic in person."

Notebook: Heat 107, Lakers 97

Zachary Paul, for NBA.com
Posted Sun Feb 10, 2013 8:20 PM - Updated Sun Feb 10, 2013 8:20 PM

THE FACTS: The Miami Heat defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 107-97 Sunday at AmericanAirlines Arena.

LeBron James led the way with 32 points, seven rebounds and four assists. It was James' fifth straight game with at least 30 points, breaking guard Dwyane Wade's team record of four. Wade also finished with 30 points and a team-high five assists.

The game marked the return of Heat center Chris Bosh, who missed the last two games because of the flu. Bosh scored 12 points and had a game-high 11 rebounds. After being tied at halftime, the Heat pulled away in the fourth quarter behind Wade and James.

Kobe Bryant led four Lakers in double-figures with 28 points.

QUOTABLE: "I say this to Miami fans, don't take it for granted. He's making greatness look easy."
-- Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said on James.

THE STAT: James, Wade and Bosh combined to shoot 30 of 49 from the field.

TURNING POINT: Holding a two-point lead midway through the fourth quarter, the Heat created just enough separation with a 5-0 run. Wade scored all five points during the stretch.

QUOTABLE II: Turnovers were the problem in the last nine minutes of the game. Again, you have to give them (the Heat) credit. We just didn't make the right play at the right time. They did."
-- Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni said.

HOT: James and Wade combined to shoot 24 of 36 from the field. What made it tough for the Lakers was both were able to score inside and outside. When James or Wade have their jumpshots going, they are nearly impossible to stop.

NOT: Metta World Peace was the downfall for the Lakers. His defense against James was non-existent and he also shot just 3 of 11 from the field.

GOOD MOVE: James was given a rest early in the fourth quarter, but was able to get longer breather because Wade picked up the scoring load and helped the team extend the lead.

BAD MOVE: The Lakers didn't exploit their advantage at point guard. Guard Steve Nash was actually outplayed by Mario Chalmers and Norris Cole, who combined for 20 points and five assists. Nash finished with 15 points and two assists.

NOTABLE: James set the franchise record with his fifth straight 30-point games ... The Heat improved to 22-3 at home ... Miami has won six of the last seven against the Lakers.

UP NEXT: For the Heat, Tuesday vs. Trail Blazers, Thursday @ Thunder, Feb. 20 @ Hawks. For the Lakers, Tuesday vs. Suns, Thursday vs. Clippers, Feb. 20 vs. Celtics.

• Lakers: Gasol, Hill
• Heat: Pittman, Varnado

• Lakers: --
• Heat: James

• Lead Changes: 10
• Times Tied: 10

• Arena: American Airlines Arena, Miami, FL
• Officials: #48 Scott Foster, #45 Brian Forte, #40 Leon Wood
• Attendance: 20300
• Duration: 2:23