LeBron James poured in 41 points with 13 rebounds and eight assists on Tuesday as Miami rallied from a 14-point deficit to beat Indiana 117-112.
Chris Bosh added 19 points, Dwyane Wade scored 17 and Mario Chalmers 16 for the Heat, who nabbed their seventh straight victory and moved five games ahead of second-placed Atlanta in the Southeast Division.
Miami moved within one half-game of Boston — who were idle on Tuesday — for the best record in the Eastern Conference.
Photo: Reuters
Roy Hibbert scored 20 points and added 10 rebounds for the Pacers, who fell to 4-1 under interim coach Frank Vogel. Danny Granger scored 19 and Tyler Hansbrough added 18 for Indiana.
The Pacers were shooting better than 60 percent early in the second half, but Miami bore down on defense in the fourth.
In a span of more than six minutes in the final quarter, Indiana missed nine straight shots.
They still pulled within 111-110 with 51.9 seconds remaining, but Miami didn’t let them through.
The Heat’s Mike Miller missed a three-pointer, but Bosh grabbed the offensive rebound to extend the possession and James scored with 14.1 seconds remaining to give Miami a 113-110 lead.
James then made two free throws that maintained a three-point margin and Eddie House made two more free throws with 6.5 left to play to seal the victory.
With the victory, the Heat avenged their worst home defeat of the season — a 93-77 Pacers decision on Nov. 22.
“This team is scrapping and playing their hearts out for that last [playoff] spot right now,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said of the Pacers. “This is a competitive conference.”
GRIZZLIES 105, THUNDER 101, OT
In Oklahoma City, Zach Randolph had 31 points and 14 rebounds and Tony Allen scored a season-high 27 while harassing NBA scoring leader Kevin Durant as Memphis beat Oklahoma City.
Durant had 31 points and 11 rebounds, but got off just one shot in overtime and also had a key turnover in the final 20 seconds with the Thunder down by three.
Russell Westbrook added 21 points and 11 assists, but also tied his season-high with eight turnovers for Oklahoma City, which lost for the first time in six overtime games this season.
SPURS 100, PISTONS 89
In Auburn Hills, Michigan, Tony Parker had 19 points and seven assists as San Antonio held off Detroit.
DeJuan Blair added 18 points and 12 rebounds for San Antonio, which improved their NBA-best record to 43-8. Manu Ginobili scored 13 points for the Spurs and Tim Duncan contributed 10 points and 10 rebounds.
Will Bynum scored 12 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter for Detroit.
MAGIC 101, CLIPPERS 85
In Orlando, Florida, Dwight Howard had 22 points and 20 rebounds and Jameer Nelson added 17 points, including going 4-for-5 from three-point range, as Orlando used a second-half surge to get past the Los Angeles Clippers.
Howard recorded his fifth 20-20 game this season.
Baron Davis led the Clippers with a season-high 25 points, Ike Diogu added 18 and Blake Griffin had 10 points and 12 rebounds.
TIMBERWOLVES 112, ROCKETS 108
In Houston, Texas, Kevin Love set a Minnesota record with his 38th consecutive double-double, scoring 20 points and grabbing 14 rebounds.
Love passed Kevin Garnett (2006) for the team’s double--double record. Love’s streak is now the longest since Moses Malone had 44 in a row during the 1982 to 1983 season with Philadelphia. Utah’s John Stockton also had a 37-game streak of double-doubles in 1989.
Wayne Ellington added 18 points for the Timberwolves, who snapped a 13-game losing streak to the Rockets dating to January 2007.
Minnesota played without starters Michael Beasley (sprained left ankle) and Darko Milicic (strained left hip flexor).
Kevin Martin and Courtney Lee scored 23 points apiece for the Rockets, who were out-rebounded 51-31.
In other NBA play, it was:
‧ 76ers 117, Hawks 83
‧ Bucks 92, Raptors 74
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