LeBron James scorches the Trail Blazers to hand Miami a 107-100 win in O.T.
For the second match running, two-time reigning MVP LeBron James pulled off the swash-buckling brilliance that the Miami Heat envisioned, when they brought him into their ranks this post-season.
After spearheading the Heat to an overtime win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday, King James was at his very best again on Sunday at the Rose Garden. He pounded a season high 44 points, 13 rebounds and six assists to propel the Heat to their ninth straight
win.
James scored 11 points in the last three minutes of the fourth quarter, as the Heat rallied back from a seven-point deficit to take the match into overtime. He then posted eight more in overtime, blasting 6-for-6 from the field and 3-for-3 from downtown,
to carve out a performance that even left his fellow sharp-shooter Dwyane Wade bedazzled.
"You look at games like this and moments like this and you really understand why we decided to team up and come together," Wade said. "I am a fan of his on the court and I am just glad I get to experience this in the same jersey he wears, instead of being
on the other end."
Wade himself was not far behind. He scored 34 points and eight rebounds, while Chris Bosh chipped in with 18 points and eight boards, as the Big Three combined for all but 11 of Miami’s total points. With the win, Miami have now rocketed to their 13th consecutive
road win; three wins short of tying the all-time NBA record held by the Los Angeles Lakers in 1971-72.
The Heat needed a big scramble though, to keep the streak alive. Miami trailed through most of the second half and were lagging behind by 84-78, with 3:29 left to play. Even though James was brilliant at one end, the tenacious Portland offence kept sprinting
away down the stretch, and a LaMarcus Aldridge turnaround hook-shot sparked them into a 91-84 advantage with 1:46 to go.
James however, finally took control of the game from there, making a three-pointer and two more free throws to tie it and take the match into overtime.
"I had to do whatever it took to win," James said. "Coach put me in that position and it created a mismatch for them, and I was able to use my athleticism and quickness against whoever was on me."
The Big Three grasped the match by the scruff of the neck in overtime, not even giving the Trail Blazers a sniff, as Miami rolled on to a 107-100 win. LaMarcus Aldridge led the charge for the home-team with 31 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists. While
Nicolas Batum added 22 points and Wesley Matthews finished with 14.
The first half was quite an even affair as both teams clawed back at each other. Wade was Miami’s guy early on, as he connected on his first seven possessions and accounted for 15 of their first 19 points. James, who has a history of torching the Blazers
in their own back-yard, was relatively quiet as he mustered only 12 points going into the break.
He however, gave a sign of things to come by ripping in a jumper just before the buzzer, to carry Miami into the locker-room with a 46-42 lead. With the advent of the second half, he went berserk. The inspirational forward scored 10 points in the third quarter,
14 in the fourth and 8 in overtime, as the Heat snapped Portland’s eight-match home winning streak.
Wesley Mathews was awe-struck by James’ brilliance.
"That's what big-time players do," Matthews said after the match. "He was coming down, hitting big shots - daggers - and we couldn't do anything about it."
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