MIAMI (AP) — Heat coach Erik Spoelstra summed up the efforts of LeBron James and Dwyane Wade in three words: “Video game numbers.” Both put up monster stat lines. And the Miami Heat needed them. James scored 40 points and added a career-high 16 assists, Wade had 39 points and the Heat pushed their winning streak to 12 games by outlasting the Sacramento Kings 141-129 in double overtime on Tuesday night at American Airlines Arena.
“Some great stat lines tonight,” James said. “But I’m happy I was able to do what I did and help our team win.”
Great stat lines might be calling it an understatement. Consider:
* A season high in scoring for James, who capped off the best shooting month of his career.
* A season high in scoring for Wade, who tied a career best with 19 field goals.
* A 36-point night for the Kings’ Marcus Thornton, the most by any non-starter in the NBA this season.
* The 141 points tied a Heat franchise record, set in 1991.
* Add James’ assists to the mix and he put up the NBA’s first night of at least 40 points and 16 assists since April 1994.
The man who did it then? None other than Phoenix guard Kevin Johnson, now, ironically enough, the mayor of Sacramento. And, for February, James finished 139 for 217 from the floor, that 64.1 percent clip the best of his career for any month.
Ray Allen added 21, Chris Bosh finished with 15 and Chris Andersen had 10 for the Heat, who remained six games clear of second-place Indiana in the Eastern Conference standings.
The Heat didn’t seem to be bored by the second overtime. After a late non-call that James wanted, he simply seemed mad. He scored inside to open the second extra session, yelling “and one” at referees as his way of insisting he was fouled as well. But after one sensational sequence, the game was pretty much sealed.
Thornton had a chance to give the Kings the lead after a Heat turnover but his shot at the rim was blocked by Wade, who came down and set up James for a 3-pointer — a five-point swing, in essence, and the Heat had a 131-127 lead.
James scored again, then added two free throws and found Bosh for a dunk and 10-point lead with 1:29 remaining.
“It’s tough but this is a loss I consider a good loss,” Cousins said. “Our effort tonight was incredible. We come out and play like that every night, we can beat a lot of teams.”
Sacramento fell to 1-17 against Miami since March 2004.
James was perfect in the second overtime: 3-for-3 from the field, 4-for-4 from the line. He had more points (11-5), rebounds (3-0) and assists (3-1) in the final five minutes than the Kings had combined.
The Heat missed key free throws late in both regulation and the first overtime – Wade missing a pair with 21 seconds left in the fourth, and James missed one of two with 29.3 seconds left in the opening extra session.
No Comment