Blazing heat: Miami too strong for Spurs in reprise of NBA finals

MIAMI

Los Angeles Lakers forward Ryan Kelly (right) goes to the basket against Miami Heat forward Chris Andersen, left, during the third quarter of an NBA basketball game in Miami, on Thursday. [PHOTO:AP]

Miami rolled to a surprisingly comfortable 113-101 win over San Antonio on Sunday in a reprise of last year’s NBA Finals, with Chris Bosh scoring 24 points on 9-for-10 shooting for the Heat.

Among the day’s other games, Golden State beat Portland to drop the Trail Blazers two games off the Western Conference lead, Dirk Nowitzki led Dallas past Detroit, and Phoenix recovered from a big half-time deficit to overrun Cleveland.

Miami’s LeBron James added 18 points as the Heat got by comfortably without much from Dwyane Wade, who was used as a reserve for the first time in six years. He had missed the previous four games due to ongoing knee problems.

Tim Duncan led San Antonio with 23 points as the Spurs missed a chance to draw within half a game of idle West leader Oklahoma City.

EIGHT ASSISTS

Golden State’s Stephen Curry had 38 points, eight assists and seven rebounds to lead the Warriors to a 103-88 victory over Portland.

The newly elected All-Star starting point guard shot 13 of 23 from the floor to carry the offensive load. The Warriors built a 22-point lead midway through the fourth quarter to put the game out of reach.

Golden State outshot Portland 41.8 per cent to 33.7 per cent and forced 15 turnovers while committing nine.

Wesley Matthews scored 21 for the Blazers, who were held to season lows in points and shooting percentage and it tied their largest losing margin.

Required surgery

Dallas Dirk Nowitzki scored 28 points to guide the Mavericks to a 116-106 home win over Detroit.

Nowitzki was 10 of 16 from the field in his second straight game wearing a sleeve on his sore left knee after sitting out a loss in Toronto. It’s not the knee that required surgery and sidelined him the first 27 games last season.

Devin Harris scored a season-high 14 points, including five straight in the final minute of the third quarter to break a 79-79. His 3-pointer early in the fourth capped a 15-2 run that put Dallas in control.

Brandon Jennings had 26 points and seven assists to lead the Pistons, who lost their fourth straight. Phoenix’s Markieff Morris scored 27 points as the Suns stormed over the top of Cleveland and won 99-90.

The Suns turned in a dominant second half, outscoring the Cavaliers 56-29. Channing Frye finished with 16 points. 

—AP