Heat win 21st straight game, beat Bucks 107-94

lebron james

LeBron James and Chris Bosh each scored 28 points, and the Miami Heat made it 21 straight wins, beating the Milwaukee Bucks 107-94 on Friday night.

Only three other teams have won 20 in a row in one season, and the Heat now trail just the 1971-72 Los Angeles Lakers (33) and the 2007-08 Houston Rockets (22) after moving ahead of the 1970-71 Bucks.

They withstood an early scare when Dwyane Wade walked to the locker room with a neck strain after crashing to the court. Miami led by as much as 17 in the third quarter, then withstood a push by the Bucks to remain unbeaten since a loss at Indiana on Feb. 1.

Miami next plays Sunday at Toronto, where the winning streak began on Feb. 3.

Bosh hit from all angles and was 12 of 16 in the game, nailing two 3-pointers. He even converted a four-point play that made it 67-53 about five minutes into the third quarter.

James was his usual dominant self, and Wade finished with 20 points as the Heat avenged a loss at Milwaukee in late December.

Ersan Ilyasova led Milwaukee with 26 points and a season-high 17 rebounds. Brandon Jennings scored 21 but was 6 of 15 from the field, and the Bucks shot just over 37 percent. Monta Ellis struggled, finishing with seven points after scoring 26 in the previous game at Washington, and the Bucks dropped their third straight.

— Reported by Andrew Seligman of the Associated Press

MRI reveals Shawn Marion has strained left calf

MRI reveals Shawn Marion has strained left calf

An MRI performed Friday revealed that Shawn Marion has a strained left calf.

The injury will keep the Dallas Mavericks’ small forward on the sidelines indefinitely. And it’s much more serious than the left calf contusion the Mavericks thought Marion had when he suffered the injury March 6 against the Houston Rockets.

“It’s getting better, but being a strain instead of a contusion, those take longer, so it’s going to be a whole lot longer [recovery period],” coach Rick Carlisle said. “We hope not too long, but we’re going to exercise caution, and we’re going to make sure he’s right before he gets back.”

Marion missed all four games on the Mavs’ recent road trip.

— Reported by Dwain Price of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram

Bryant starts but has short night for Lakers

Bryant starts but has short night for Lakers

Kobe Bryant played 12 minutes Friday at Indiana, missed all four shots and then went to the bench for good.

It was all his severely sprained left ankle could take.

Bryant spent two days trying to fight his way back after landing on the foot of Atlanta’s Dahntay Jones in the waning seconds of Wednesday’s loss at Atlanta.

— Reported by Michael Marot of the Associated Press

Knicks sign Kenyon Martin for remainder of season

Kenyon Martin

The banged-up New York Knicks need all the healthy bodies they can get. Veteran forward Kenyon Martin qualifies.

Knicks Executive Vice President, Basketball Operations and General Manager Glen Grunwald announced today that the team has signed Martin for the remainder of the season, following two consecutive 10-day contracts originally signed on Feb. 23.

Martin, 6-9, 230-pounds, is averaging 5.7 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.17 steals over 18.9 minutes in six games.

Pau Gasol should return soon for Lakers

Pau Gasol should return soon for Lakers

[Lakers head coach Mike] D’Antoni said Pau Gasol could return as soon as Monday at Phoenix, and Gasol could be in the starting lineup against the Suns, too. The forward from Spain has been recovering from a torn plantar fascia in his right foot since early February. Gasol spent the last part of the shootaround working one-one-one against center Dwight Howard.

But the focus Friday was on one swollen ankle that D’Antoni hasn’t even taken a peek at yet.

”I think if you look at his tweets, you’ll see it,” he said, drawing laughter.

The Lakers need Bryant to continue their surge toward the playoffs.

He is the NBA’s third-leading scorer at 27.5 points and has helped stabilize his team during a tumultuous season that has included the early firing of coach Mike Brown, a prolonged skid, All-Star center Dwight Howard’s struggles to fit in with his new team, and the death of owner Jerry Buss.

— Reported by the Associated Press

Spurs re-assign Aron Baynes and Nando De Colo to D-League

The San Antonio Spurs today re-assigned center Aron Baynes and guard Nando De Colo to the Austin Toros, San Antonio’s NBA Development League affiliate.  The assignments are the record 156th and 157th of the 2012-13 NBA and NBA D-League seasons, while the pair are two of the record 56 NBA players to be assigned to the NBA D-League this season.

Baynes (6-10, 260, Washington State) has played in 11 games for the Spurs, averaging 2.2 points, 1.4 rebounds and 6.5 minutes.  Signed by San Antonio on Jan. 23, Baynes rejoins the Toros following two previous assignments, when he averaged 17.3 points, 9.0 rebounds and 26.7 minutes.

De Colo (6-5, 200, Saint Catherine, France) has appeared in 57 games for the Spurs this season, averaging 3.4 points, 1.7 assists, 1.6 rebounds and 11.5 minutes.  He returns to the Toros averaging 14.5 points, 7.0 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 36.5 minutes in two games during two previous assignments.

Baynes and De Colo are expected to join the Toros today and be available when the team hosts the Los Angeles D-Fenders in Austin tonight at 8:30 p.m. ET.

Lester Hudson now on Austin Toros in D-League

The Austin Toros today announced they have acquired guard Lester Hudson.  Hudson (6-3, 190, Tennessee-Martin) will wear jersey No. 22 when the team takes on the LA D-Fenders tonight at Cedar Park Center.

Hudson played five games for the Toros last season (March, 2012) before earning NBA call-ups from the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Memphis Grizzlies.  In five games with the Toros, Hudson averaged 17.6 points, 6.0 rebounds and 4.2 assists in 29 minutes of play.

Hudson’s NBA experience includes the Boston Celtics (09-10), Memphis Grizzlies (09-10, 11-12), Washington Wizards (10-11), and the Cleveland Cavaliers (11-12).  In 52 games played in the NBA, Hudson averaged 4.8 points, 1.3 rebounds, and 1.3 assists in 10.3 minutes.

Clippers sign DaJuan Summers to a 10-day contract

The Los Angeles Clippers today signed Maine Red Claws forward DaJuan Summers to a 10-day contract. It is the 26th Call-Up of the 2012-13 NBA Development League season.  Summers joins 121 players with NBA D-League experience currently on NBA rosters.

Summers (6-8, 240, Georgetown) has played in 29 games, 16 starts, for the Red Claws this season, averaging 18.0 points, 7.6 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.1 steals and 33.1 minutes.  He has led Maine in scoring 13 times, finishing with more than 20 points in 11 games and recording 30 or more points in two other contests.  A 2013 NBA D-League All-Star, Summers scored 28 points in 25 minutes for the Prospects Team in Houston.

A three-year contributor at Georgetown, Summers averaged 11.2 points, 4.4 rebounds and 27.6 minutes in 101 career NCAA games for the Hoyas.

Summers is expected to join the Clippers today and be available on Sunday, March 17, when the team hosts the New York Knicks at 3:30 p.m. ET.

Damian Lillard leads Blazers to 105-90 win over Knicks

The Portland Trail Blazers are pretty happy with how their point guard situation has turned out.

Damian Lillard had 26 points and 10 assists to lead the Trail Blazers to a 105-90 victory over the Knicks on Thursday night, outplaying New York point guard Raymond Felton in his return to Portland.

LaMarcus Aldridge had 22 points and 10 rebounds and Nicolas Batum added 18 points for Portland, where Felton drew the ire of fans during a disappointing stint last season. The crowd was on Felton all night…

J.R. Smith had 33 points and Kenyon Martin added 12 to lead New York, which went ice cold in second half, shooting just 33 percent. The Knicks lead the Atlantic Division but have lost three straight after a rash of injuries that has decimated their starting five.

Tyson Chandler suffered a bruised knee in a collision Wednesday at Denver and was unavailable. Leading scorer Carmelo Anthony returned to New York to have his right knee drained after leaving Wednesday’s game early. Amare Stoudemire is expected to miss at least six weeks after having knee surgery on Tuesday.

”Being short-handed didn’t affect us at all (tonight),” said Jason Kidd, who was 1 of 8 from the field for New York.

— Reported by Joel Fowlks of the Associated Press