LeBron James capped one of his best games of the season in dramatic fashion, making a step-back three-pointer with less than a second remaining to carry the Miami Heat past the Golden State Warriors 111-110 on Wednesday night and into the All-Star break on a high note.
With teammate Dwyane Wade scratched from the lineup with a sore left foot, James shouldered the load for the two-time defending NBA champions. He finished with 36 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists, saving his best moment for last.
After fellow All-Star Stephen Curry hit a bank shot to start a three-point play that put the Warriors ahead by two, James let the clock tick down on the other end. He swished in a 27-footer with two-tenths of a second left over Andre Iguodala, then patted his chest and high-stepped on the sideline to leave the announced sellout crowd of 19,596 stunned and silent.
Photo: USA TODAY
James shot 14 of 26 from the floor, including several dazzling dunks, and helped the Heat go ahead by 21 points in the third quarter. Chris Bosh added 19 points and five rebounds, while reserve Michael Beasley scored 16 points in a thrilling victory for the Heat, who played without Wade for the second straight night.
Curry finished with 29 points and seven assists, and David Lee had 21 points and 11 rebounds for the Warriors, who rallied to take an 87-84 lead early in the fourth quarter before the teams traded baskets late.
CLIPPERS 122, TRAIL BLAZERS 117
In Los Angeles, Blake Griffin scored 36 points, Chris Paul had 20 points and 12 assists, and Los Angeles beat Portland in a back and forth game that featured 40 lead changes.
The Clippers, who set a franchise record for largest margin of victory in their 45-point thrashing of Philadelphia on Sunday, converted 16 turnovers by Portland into 20 points.
Paul made 10 of 15 shots in his second game back after missing 18 with a separated right shoulder, and Jamal Crawford added 25 points for Los Angeles. The Clippers have won 14 of their last 19 since Jan. 4, when the Spurs handed them their worst loss of the season, 116-92 in San Antonio.
LaMarcus Aldridge led Portland with 25 points and Damian Lillard had 21.
MAVERICKS 81, PACERS 73
In Indianapolis, Monta Ellis had 23 points and nine rebounds, and Dirk Nowitzki added 18 points to help Dallas hand Indiana their third home loss of the season.
The Mavericks (32-22), who have won six of seven, finished a three-game road trip heading into the NBA All-Star break. Dallas’ five-game winning streak was snapped at Charlotte on Tuesday.
George Hill had 14 points, and Lance Stephenson and Danny Granger both scored 13 for the Pacers (40-12), who have lost two of three.
The Mavericks scored the first six points of the fourth quarter and took a 66-62 lead when Ellis made a free throw with 6 minutes, 55 seconds remaining.
ROCKETS 113, WIZARDS 112
In Houston, James Harden scored 35 points and his layup with 0.7 seconds remaining lifted Houston over Washington.
The victory sends the Rockets into the All-Star break with a season-best seven-game winning streak.
John Wall gave Washington the lead with a pair of free throws with four seconds left. Trevor Ariza fouled out when he pushed Harden to the ground on the ensuing inbound pass. It was ruled a foul away from the play, giving Houston one free throw and possession.
Harden, who was 16 for 16 at the line, made the free throw before grabbing a pass from Chandler Parsons and driving into the lane for the winning shot.
The Wizards had a chance to win at the end, but Kevin Seraphin’s shot clanged off the rim.
Ariza had a season-high 32 points with a career-high 10 three-pointers.
SPURS 104, CELTICS 92
In Boston, Tim Duncan scored 23 of his 25 points in the second half, powering injury-depleted San Antonio to a win over Boston.
Marco Belinelli added 16 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists for the Spurs, who played without guards Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili and forward Tiago Splitter — all sidelined with injuries.
Boris Diaw added 18 points and Duncan grabbed nine rebounds to lead the Spurs to their fifth win in seven games.
Rajon Rondo led Boston with 16 points and Kris Humphries and rookie Kelly Olynyk had 15 apiece. The Celtics fell to 4-18 against Western Conference teams.
Boston was minus guard Avery Bradley, who was sidelined with a sprained right ankle.
TIMBERWOLVES 117, NUGGETS 90
In Minneapolis, Kevin Love started practicing early for All-Star weekend, making six of 11 shots from three-point range and totaling 32 points and 11 rebounds to lead Minnesota over Denver.
Love, chosen as a first-time starter for the Western Conference team, will also take part in the three-point shooting contest this weekend in New Orleans.
Denver (24-27) has dropped nine of 13 and four in a row to fall behind Minnesota (25-28) and into 11th place in the West. The Wolves trail eighth-place Phoenix by six games.
Jordan Hamilton led the Nuggets with 16 points and seven assists, and J.J. Hickson added 14 points and 13 rebounds.
Corey Brewer added 22 points, J.J. Barea pitched in 18 points on eight-for-eight shooting, and Ricky Rubio had 11 points and 12 assists for the Wolves, who had coach Rick Adelman back on the sideline. He missed the previous game on Monday, an absence he said was related to his wife’s health.
In other NBA action, it was:
‧ Cavaliers 93, Pistons 89
‧ Raptors 104, Hawks 83
‧ Grizzlies 86, Magic 81
‧ Nets 105, Bobcats 89
‧ Kings 106, Knicks 101, OT
‧ Pelicans 102, Bucks 98
‧ Jazz 105, 76ers 100
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