LeBron James scored 35 points and grabbed 11 rebounds as the Miami Heat beat the Chicago Bulls 97-93 in a thrilling duel between the top two teams in the Eastern Conference on Sunday.
Chicago’s Derrick Rose, the league’s Most Valuable Player (MVP), wound up with 34 points and produced some beautiful basketball, but he will regret his failure at the foul line in the final minute.
With the Heat ahead 94-93, Rose, whose elegant play had drawn applause from even the home crowd, missed two free throws only for James to do the same at the other end as the two key protagonists in the game somehow lost their aim when it mattered most.
Photo: AFP
Rose had gone into the game not having missed a fourth-quarter free throw this season, with 26 of 26.
Adding to the theater, James, the MVP in 2010, had taken on the role of defending Rose in the final minutes and did so effectively in what was a fascinating element of the contest.
James, who rode to the game on a bicycle to beat traffic disruption caused by the Miami Marathon, scored more than 30 points for the third consecutive game and a league-best 11th time this season.
Photo: Reuters
The Heat led through all quarters, but the Bulls never let them break away and had the edge at one time in the second half by a point.
“I am sure everyone watching at home got their money’s worth today,” said Miami’s Chris Bosh, who sealed the win with two free throws. “Every time we play the Bulls, it’s going to be like that ... We don’t expect any blowouts and they are all probably going to come down to the last couple of possessions.”
“They are a great team and we are going to see them many, many, time this year,” Bosh said.
The late drama was fitting for an encounter that had the edge of a playoff game and could well be the appetizer for a post-season series between the two teams.
There is clearly little love lost between the two teams and the aggression levels were well above the regular season norm.
Miami’s route to victory was helped by James winning a jump-ball after a controversial call from the referees, who blew “an inadvertent whistle.”
The cool head of Bosh, who made his two free throws, was key to what was a repeat of last season’s Eastern Conference championship game.
Bosh finished with 24 points and 12 rebounds for Miami, but Dwyane Wade, in his second game back after a six-game injury absence, was only four of 16 on shooting as he scored 15 points.
The win was the fourth consecutive and seventh in eight games for the Heat, who are now just one game behind the Bulls in the East.
MAVERICKS 101, SPURS 100, OT
In Dallas, Texas, Jason Terry scored a season-high 34 points, including four in the last 42 seconds of overtime, as Dallas rebounded after blowing an 18-point lead against San Antonio.
Terry put the Mavericks back in the lead to stay when he took a pass from Dirk Nowitzki for a 12-foot baseline jumper with 42 seconds left. After Shawn Marion stole the ball from Gary Neal, Terry hit two free throws with 17 seconds left to make it 101-98.
Neal, who finished with 19 points, then drove for a layup and was fouled by Marion. However, Neal missed a potential tying free throw that was rebounded by Ian Mahinmi, who missed two free throws.
Carter had 21 points, his most with the Mavericks. Nowitzki, playing for the first time after a four-game hiatus to strengthen his sore right knee and do conditioning work, had 10 points on 5-of-14 shooting with 13 rebounds.
CAVALIERS 88, CELTICS 87
In Boston, Kyrie Irving scored 23 points, sinking a layup with 2.6 seconds left as Cleveland scored the last 12 points of the game to beat Boston.
Anderson Varejao had 18 points and nine rebounds for Cleveland, which had lost five of six.
Ray Allen returned from an ankle injury and scored 22 points, making 4 of 6 from the three-point range. However, he missed a jumper from the left corner when Boston still held a one-point lead on its second-to-last possession.
Paul Pierce scored 18 points with six rebounds and five assists for the Celtics, who had won four in a row.
CLIPPERS 109, NUGGETS 105
In Denver, Colorado, Chauncey Billups’ homecoming couldn’t have gone better as he scored a season-high 32 points and drew a crucial foul in the waning seconds to help seal Los Angeles’ victory that ended Denver’s six-game winning streak.
It was Billups’ first game at the Pepsi Center since the Nuggets included him in the Carmelo Anthony blockbuster trade nearly a year ago.
Those cheers turned to groans when Billups scored a dozen points in the first quarter and swished a trio of three-pointers in the third. However, he saved his best play for the fourth quarter.
Chris Paul finished with 25 points and Blake Griffin added 17.
PACERS 106, MAGIC 85
In Orlando, Florida, Danny Granger scored 24 points and David West and George Hill each had 16 as Indiana ran past Orlando.
The Pacers snapped a six-game losing streak to the Magic and avoided losing consecutive games for the first time this season.
Indiana had a 16-2 edge in second-chance points and got 42 points from its bench. The Pacers also went eight for 17 from the three-point range.
Dwight Howard led the Magic with 24 points and 13 rebounds, but was a dismal four for 15 from the free-throw line.
LAKERS 106, TIMBERWOLVES 101
In Minneapolis, Minnesota, Kobe Bryant had 35 points and 14 rebounds and Pau Gasol scored 28 to give Los Angeles a much-needed road victory over Minnesota.
Andrew Bynum added 21 points for the Lakers, who won for the second time in nine road games this season. They led by 18 in the third quarter, then withstood a furious Timberwolves charge to hang on for their second victory in six games.
Kevin Love had 33 points and 13 rebounds and Michael Beasley added 18 points and 12 boards for the Wolves, who lost to the Lakers for the 16th straight time.
In other NBA play, it was:
‧ Hawks 94, Hornets 72
‧ Raptors 94, Nets 73
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