Heat 102, Raptors 97
LeBron James recorded a game-high 30 points on 12-of-18 shooting and dished out five assists as Miami rallied to defeat visiting Toronto for the 14th straight time.
Michael Beasley scored 17 points off the bench while Dwyane Wade had 14 for the Heat, including two big free throws with 23 seconds left for a 98-95 lead. Chris Bosh finished with eight points and 11 rebounds as Miami won for the 10th time in 12 games.
DeMar DeRozan led the way with 26 points while Jonas Valanciunas and Amir Johnson each added 17 for the Raptors, who saw their five-game win streak end. Kyle Lowry had 14 points and nine assists for Toronto but missed a 3-pointer in the final seconds that could have tied it.
Roger Mason Jr. drained a 3-pointer to ignite a 13-2 run to start the fourth quarter that was capped by three straight baskets from James for a six-point Miami lead. The Raptors pulled within one four times but the Heat made 8-of-8 free throws in the final 1:22 to seal it.
DeRozan made 8-of-10 from the field to score 18 points in the first half and James had 16, including his team’s last six as Miami led 52-51 at intermission. The Heat rallied from an eight-point deficit midway through the third quarter to tie before Toronto scored seven of the last nine for an 84-79 going into the fourth.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Miami, which came in last in the league in rebounding, had a 42-34 edge on the boards and made 23-of-27 free throws. … Lowry has registered six assists or more in 24 consecutive games, the longest active streak in the league and three shy of Jose Calderon’s club record. … Miami F Shane Battier missed his second straight game with a quad injury as was replaced in the starting lineup by F Rashard Lewis, who scored two points.