Stifling Heat prevails

Associated Press

MIAMI

Kelly Olynyk scored 19 points, Dwyane Wade blocked a pair of shots by LeBron James as part of a stifling defensive effort by Miami, and the Heat had little trouble on the way to beating the Cleveland Cavaliers 98-79 on Tuesday night.

Josh Richardson and James Johnson each scored 15 points for Miami, which led 54-34 at halftime and has won 10 of its last 11 home games. Wade finished with 12 against the team he spent part of this season with before getting traded back to Miami.

Goran Dragic added 10 for the Heat, who could clinch an Eastern Conference playoff spot by week’s end.

James finished with 18 points for the Cavaliers, whose previous season low for points was 88. The Cavs are 1-13 this season when held under 100; they’re 43-17 when scoring more than 100.

It was the 865th consecutive regular-season game in which James scored at least 10 points, putting him one shy of tying Michael Jordan for the longest such streak in NBA history. James can tie the mark in Charlotte — against the Jordan-owned Hornets — on Wednesday.

Rodney Hood added 15 for Cleveland, which lost Kevin Love at halftime to a loose tooth. He finished with only one point in seven minutes.

It was Miami’s 14th consecutive home win over the Cavaliers, including a 4-0 mark when James plays in Miami since leaving the Heat after the 2014 NBA Finals.

Wade blocked his close friend once in the second quarter, once more in the fourth, both times from behind — and finished with four of Miami’s nine blocks in the game.

Cleveland came in averaging 31 points per quarter over its last five games, then managed only 34 in the first half against the Heat.

They shot 30 percent in the half, just 9 percent — 1 for 11 — from the 3-point line and were an awful 9 for 22 inside the paint. James had 13 points, four assists and three rebounds by the break; the other four Cavs starters combined for seven points, two assists and four rebounds.