LeBron James scored a game-high 22 points before limping off the court with leg cramps and the Miami Heat held off CSKA Moscow for a 96-85 victory on Tuesday in an international basketball exhibition game.
Two-time reigning NBA Most Valuable Player James, who left Cleveland in July to join the Heat, put a scare into Miami’s championship dreams when he reached at his right hamstring and slightly limped as he walked to the locker room 8:09 into the third quarter.
“It’s not a great sight for a coach,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said.
Dwyane Wade, the star guard already sidelined by a right hamstring strain, followed “King James” to the locker room to check on what the team later announced were only muscle cramps.
“I’m fine,” James said after the game.
James did not return, having already paced scorers with an additional seven assists and four rebounds in 26 minutes against the Euroleague power, which seized a 17-7 lead in the first 7.5 minutes.
James said that he would not play at New Orleans yesterday, but that would be by design, a plan the Heat had before he cramped during the game.
“I can be ready to play the next game if I needed to play,” James said of his ability to take the court on back-to-back nights.
Chris Bosh, who joined Wade and James in Miami this season, scored 17 points and grabbed eight rebounds and combined with James for 19 points in a 23-4 run in the third quarter that enabled Miami to chill Moscow’s chances.
“The fact that we came out in the third quarter and showed a sense of urgency that we needed, it was great,” James said.
Trajan Langdon, a former US collegiate star who led CSKA Moscow with 20 points, pulled the visitors within 86-81 with 4:17 to play, but Miami answered on layups by Udonis Haslem and Kenny Hasbrouck to seal the triumph.
“This is a very good Heat team,” Langdon said. “We’ve been in camp a little bit longer than them so I think our rhythm and playing together, we know what we’re doing a little bit more than they do at this time in terms of knowing each other.”
Jamont Gordon scored 17 points for Moscow, while Ramunas Siskauskas added 15 and Matjaz Smodis contributed 11 for the Russian side.
Wade has resumed exercise and plans to resume on-court workouts in about a week, giving him a chance to return in time for a pre-season game alongside James and Bosh before the season opener in two weeks at Boston.
Wade, who played only three minutes in one game before going off with the injury, would hope to play in Miami’s final pre-season tuneup on Oct. 22 against Orlando, four days before the opener.
“We would definitely want to get a preseason game in. Hopefully that happens,” James said. “I’m not sure what his target date is, but I know he is making progress.”
SPURS 100, CLIPPERS 99
AP, MEXICO CITY
Gary Neal hit a three-pointer with 1.5 seconds left to complete the San Antonio Spurs’ comeback from an 18-point deficit in a 100-99 preseason victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday.
DeJuan Blair led San Antonio with 21 points, while Tim Duncan added 17 points and 13 rebounds in front of nearly 19,000 people at Mexico City’s Palacio de los Deportes for the 19th NBA game played in Mexico.
Eric Gordon was the Clippers’ leading scorer with 23 points, and Rasual Butler added 20.
A putback by Chris Kaman off a missed free throw by Gordon and a free throw by Ryan Gomes gave the Clippers a 99-97 lead.
The Spurs inbounded and found Neal on the right side of the court for the game-winner — his only points of the game.
Kaman had a chance at the buzzer, but he pump-faked as time ran out.
The Clippers led 51-33 in the second quarter, but the Spurs outscored them 27-18 in the third quarter. The comeback continued in the fourth as Duncan’s three-point play tied the score at 83. Curtis Jerrells’ jumper 30 seconds later gave San Antonio its first lead of the game with about nine minutes to go.
Former overall No. 1 draft pick Blake Griffin started his fourth straight preseason game for the Clippers, and had 13 points and 17 rebounds in 37 minutes of action. He missed all last season with a left knee injury.
Kaman also logged a double-double, with 14 points and 12 rebounds.
Brazilian forward Tiago Splitter of the Spurs missed the game with a strained calf muscle.
Both Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili of the Spurs sat out the fourth quarter.
Vinny Del Negro faced off against San Antonio, where he played from 1992 to 1998, for the first time as head coach of the Clippers.
Though the Clippers were officially designated the “home” team, many of the biggest cheers were for San Antonio which is home to many Mexicans.
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