Nuggets Beat James-less Heat
DENVER (CBS4) -- It's not often a team gets to play the Miami Heat without LeBron James in the lineup. That happened to the Denver Nuggets Thursday night, and they took full advantage with a 130-102 rout of the James-less Heat. The Miami superstar sat out with a sprained ankle.
Reserve J.R. Smith scored 28 points and Carmelo Anthony added 21. Nene contributed 17 points and Chauncey Billups had 13 assists as the Nuggets routed a second straight opponent.
The Heat received a brief scare in the first half when Wade cupped his left eye with his hands after being poked by Arron Afflalo. Wade shook it off and remained on the court. Chris Bosh scored 24 points and Dwyane Wade added 16 for Miami, which lost two in a row for the first time since dropping three straight in late November. Miami fell a half-game back of Boston in the race for first in the Eastern Conference.
Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said before the game that James was "feeling a little better" and would try to play Saturday in Chicago.
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