James scores 43 as Miami edges Cavaliers
Associated Press
cleveland
As shot after shot dropped through the net, it became clear LeBron James was going to have one of those special nights.
The kind he has every so often.
The kind he has when Dwyane Wade sits.
James scored 43 points — 25 in a bewildering first-quarter shooting display — and Chris Bosh added 21, leading the Miami Heat to a 100-96 win Tuesday night over the Cleveland Cavaliers, who played their first game without injured All-Star guard Kyrie Irving.
With Wade out resting his sore knees, James took it upon himself to carry the Heat. The same thing happened on March 3 and James responded by scoring a career-high 61 against Charlotte.
“I don’t know, it’s one of those zones,” James said, trying to explain how he made 10 of 11 shot and five 3-pointers in the dizzying opening quarter. “When I started the game off, I felt like I could have gone for 50 or 60.”
James added two crucial blocks and dropped six free throws in the final two minutes, and Bosh had a key rejection to lead the Heat to just their third win in eight games.
With Wade out, the Heat’s two other megastars picked up the slack.
Jarrett Jack scored 22 and Dion Waiters added 17 and 11 assists for Cleveland, which was also without starting forward Luol Deng (sprained ankle). Irving’s expected to miss two weeks with a strained biceps tendon, an injury that further damages the Cavs’ fading playoff hopes. Cleveland fell six games behind Atlanta for the final playoff spot.
“Our guys hung in there and they competed,” Cavs coach Mike Brown said.
After one quarter, it was: James 25, Cavs 25.
The four-time MVP had 31 points at halftime and 37 after three quarters, but the Heat entered the final 12 minutes tied as they were unable to shake off the Cavs, who shot 60 percent from the floor through three and had all five starters in double figures.
With James content to distribute the ball, Bosh scored nine straight points to put Miami ahead 93-88 with 2:24 remaining. Cleveland cut it to three on a basket by Anderson Varejao and had a chance to get closer but James — with an assist from Udonis Haslem — snuffed a dunk attempt by Spencer Hawes. Just 11 seconds later, Bosh turned away Waiters and James made a pair of free throws to make it 95-90 with 1:06 remaining.
Much pregame hype focused on the All-Star’s future. James can opt out of his contract with Miami this summer and become a free agent, and one of his possible destinations could be Cleveland.
Asked directly if he wants to play for his former team again, James was noncommittal.
“As of right now, it’s too hard for me to think about,” he said. “We have 20 or less games before we gear up for no sleep for two months, hopefully. So for me to try and take my mind somewhere else when I know what’s on its way is almost impossible.”
Wade will be re-evaluated today when the Heat visit Boston.