Kings Blown Out By Heat
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) -- Dwyane Wade's flying, one-handed rebound jam highlighted his 36-point night and led the Miami Heat to their season-best eighth straight win, 104-83 over the Sacramento Kings on Saturday.
LeBron James scored 25 and Chris Bosh added 14 points and a season-high 17 rebounds as the Heat broke open a close game in the third quarter to complete a perfect four-game road trip.
After losing three of four in late November as the newly formed super team struggled to come together, the Heat have won every game during this winning streak by double digits.
The Kings, who have lost 15 of 17 and have the second-worst record in the NBA, offered little resistance to James, Wade, Bosh and Co.
Playing on the back end of a back-to-back after winning at Golden State on Friday night, the Heat broke the game open in the third quarter. After Wade helped put Miami in the lead with a 13-point second quarter, James got his offense going with 14 points in the third.
James hit a pair of early baskets as Miami scored the first eight points of the third to open up a 13-point lead. The Heat outscored the Kings 17-2 to begin the quarter, getting a pair of baskets from each of the Big Three and five points from Carlos Arroyo, whose 3-pointer made it 64-44.
Miami tightened up defensively in the third against the young Kings, who made just one of their first 13 shots in the period. Omri Casspi was one of the few Kings who could get any offense going, hitting a pair of 3-pointers and annoying James with his pesky play.
James was upset he did not get a foul call when Casspi knocked a ball off him and out of bounds. The two then bumped before free throws and James was called for goaltending trying to block a breakaway layup by Casspi.
James, who was booed almost every time he touched the ball, was then called for a technical for clapping at the Kings bench after making a jumper in the final minute of the third quarter.
The Kings failed to get it to single digits in the fourth quarter, losing for the 13th time in 14 meetings against the Heat.
The highlight of the final quarter came when Wade came flying down the lane to make a one-handed grab for the rebound of a Mario Chalmers miss and jam it home in one motion.
Casspi led Sacramento with 20 points and Jason Thompson added 13. Reigning Rookie of the Year Tyreke Evans, playing on a sore left foot, was held to five points on 2-for-10 shooting.
Miami took the floor in sole possession of first place in the Southeast Division for the first time all season. After a sluggish start, the Heat went on a 15-0 run in the second quarter to erase an early deficit and build an eight-point lead.
Wade scored seven points during the spurt and Chalmers capped it with a 3-pointer that made it 37-29.
Casspi responded with a pair of 3-pointers for Sacramento but Wade scored two baskets in the final minute of the half to give the Heat a 47-42 lead at the break.
NOTES: Wade has scored at least 25 points in five straight games. ... Erick Dampier shot an airball on a free throw in the fourth quarter for Miami. ... The Kings have led at halftime only three times in 21 games this season. ... Arroyo was called for a technical in the first quarter when he argued that he was fouled on a basket.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
