MIAMI: LeBron James scored 35 points and Dwyane Wade added 21 points and 12 assists yesterday to spark the reigning NBA champions Miami Heat over Phoenix 107-92 for their seventh win in a row.
James connected on 11-of-14 shots from the field while Wade enjoyed his most assists in a game in more than three years as Miami improved to 11-3 and moved three games ahead of Atlanta atop the Southeast division.
Ray Allen scored nine of his 17 points in the fourth quarter as Miami pulled away late to inflict the most lopsided loss of the season on the Suns, who fell to 7-7.
Channing Frye led six Phoenix double-digit scorers with 16 points and grabbed eight rebounds while Slovenian guard Goran Dragic contributed 14 points, nine assists and eight rebounds for the Suns.
The Heat won for the 10th time in 11 games overall and defeated Phoenix for the seventh time in a row over multiple seasons.
Guard George Hill scored a season-high 26 points to help the Indiana Pacers beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 98-84.
Forward Paul George also scored 26 points for the Pacers (13-1), who won their fourth straight and improved on their franchise-best start.
Minnesota forward Kevin Love had 20 points and 17 rebounds, but he made just 6 of 20 field goals for the Timberwolves (8-8), who got off to a fast start this season but now have lost four of five.
Elsewhere, Guards Manu Ginobili and Marco Belinelli combined for 30 points off the bench to push the San Antonio Spurs to their 11th straight victory winning 112-93 against Pelicans.
The Spurs (13-1) had seven players in double figures. Ginobili led the way with 16 points. Belinelli and point guard Tony Parker each scored 14.
Nicolas Batum totalled 23 points, seven rebounds and six assists as Portland jumped out to a 17-point halftime lead and did not look back.
The Blazers (13-2) led wire to wire in pulling out their 11th straight win for 102-91 scoreline.
Carmelo Anthony bombed in 34 points and grabbed 15 rebounds for the Knicks (3-10), who lost for the sixth straight.
Chandler Parsons scored 17 points and reserve forward Omri Casspi added 16 to lead the Houston Rockets to a 93-86 victory over Memphis Grizzlies.
The Rockets opened the fourth quarter with a 14-2 run that gave them the lead for the first time since the opening minutes and positioned them for the win.
The Grizzlies played without Defensive Player of the Year Marc Gasol, who injured his knee and is out for an indefinite period.
The Rockets were minus guard James Harden, who leads the team with a 24.2-point average and is nursing a foot injury.
In another match, Ty Lawson scored 19 points and Nate Robinson added 17 as the Denver Nuggets blew past Dallas 110-96.
Denver (7-6) beat the Mavericks for the second time in the last three days while Dallas (9-6) lost for the first time at home this season, falling to 7-1.
Guard Jordan Crawford scored 21 points, hitting four 3-pointers in the first three quarters and then six free throws in the final minute, as the Boston Celtics beat the Charlotte Bobcats.
The Celtics (6-10) pulled away thanks to a 9-0 run to open the fourth quarter and went on to lead by as many as 12 down the stretch.. AGENCIES
