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LeBron James, Chris Paul named Players of Week

Miami Heat forward LeBron James and Los Angeles Clippers point guard Chris Paul today were named Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week, respectively, for games played Monday, Dec. 17, through Sunday, Dec. 23.

James led the Heat to a 3-0 week behind averages of 25.3 points (third in the conference), 7.7 assists (fourth in the conference), 8.0 rebounds and 1.67 blocks (eighth in the conference). He led Miami in rebounding in all three games and has opened the season with 20-plus point efforts in the Heat’s first 24 games, matching the longest streak since Karl Malone opened the 1989-90 season with 24 consecutive 20-plus point outings.

Paul helped the Clippers to a 4-0 week behind averages of 16.3 points, a conference-leading 11.3 assists, and 3.50 steals, which tied for the conference lead with the San Antonio Spurs’ Kawhi Leonard. Paul posted three point-assist double-doubles and collected two five-steal games for the Clippers, who have won 13 consecutive games.

Other nominees for the Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week were Houston’s James Harden, Indiana’s David West, Los Angeles Lakers’ Kobe Bryant, New York’s Carmelo Anthony, Portland’s J.J. Hickson and Toronto’s Jose Calderon.

LeBron scores 24, Heat beat Mavericks 110-95

LeBron James scored 24 points with some early baskets on nifty passes from Dwyane Wade and the Miami Heat rolled to a 110-95 victory over the injury plagued Dallas Mavericks on Thursday night.

James has scored at least 20 points in all 23 games, the longest streak to start an NBA season since Karl Malone’s 24 in a row opening the 1989-90 season.

Dallas, still waiting for the season debut of 11-time All-Star Dirk Nowitzki after right knee surgery, was also without starting point guard Derek Fisher (right knee).

The Heat never trailed after James drove for a short floater 3 minutes into the game to make it 6-4.

— Reported by Stephen Hawkins of the Associated Press

InsideHoops.com notes: With Dirk Nowitzki still out for Dallas, Jae Crowder came off the bench to lead the Mavs in scoring with 15 points. Dahntay Jones and Bernard James each scored 12. Darren Collison scored 11. The Mavs as a team shot just 38.5 percent, and hit just 3-of-22 from three-point range.

James and Bosh feel Heat have plenty of room to improve

LeBron James and Chris Bosh feel the defending champion Miami Heat have work to do if they are to reach peak form in time for the National Basketball Association (NBA) playoffs, but both embrace the challenge.

The Heat (16-6) trail only the New York Knicks (19-6) in the Eastern Conference just past the quarter-mark of the NBA’s regular season but Bosh is well aware his team is not playing at the same level compared to this point last season.

“No, not right now. We have to pick it up a little bit to catch ourselves from last year,” Bosh, Miami’s third-leading scorer and top shot-blocker, told Reuters.

“It’s a new year, we just have to slowly build and get back to that place. As long as we continue to win games now and then we are primed and ready come playoff time, I’ll be happy.” …

James, who has been pushing himself physically this season by adding extra workouts and cycling to games and shootouts, agrees the Heat have lots of room for improvement.

“Everything, defensively continue to grind, continue to communicate, continue to rebound, offensively don’t turn the ball over, be efficient looking for shots,” he said.

“Right now we are getting better, we are going to use each and every game, we aren’t going to cut any corners to get better, right now.”

— Reported by Simon Evans of Reuters

LeBron James rides bike to practice and home game

LeBron James riding bike to practice and home games lately

LeBron James says he is engaged in a “vendetta” against himself as he pushes himself to reach his physical peak and win a second straight NBA championship with the Miami Heat.

On Tuesday, James, last season’s Most Valuable Player, who spent his off-season playing in the London Olympics, was on court against the Minnesota Timberwolves for 42 minutes.

“He wasn’t even breathing heavy,” said Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra when asked about the longer than expected regular season minutes for his team’s star.

“He’s been biking so much on his own. He biked to the game the other day. He’s turning the corner right now in terms of his conditioning. It’s world class.”

When Miami hosted the Washington Wizards on Saturday, James chose to cycle to the team’s daytime shoot-around and the 45 minutes back home before doing the same in the evening for the game…

James says he is too far “in the zone” to notice any public reaction to one of the world’s leading sportsmen cycling around the streets of Miami a few hours before a game.

— Reported by Simon Evans of Reuters

Klay Thompson scores 27, Warriors beat Heat

The Golden State Warriors used a savvy play by a rookie and took advantage of a defensive breakdown to surprise the Miami Heat on Wednesday.

Draymond Green, a second-round draft pick out of Michigan State, made a layup with 0.9 seconds left give the Warriors a 97-75 win over the Heat.

The Heat left him open under the basket as there was miscommunication between Ray Allen and Shane Battier.

”With the last shot, Coach didn’t point out who specifically was going to take the shot,” Green said. ”We were going to find out who was open and make the best play. Of course guys are going to go with Klay (Thompson) and Steph (Curry). I just happened to be wide open and (Jarrett Jack) found me.”

Klay Thompson tied a season high with 27 points to lead the Warriors, who have won five straight…

LeBron James led Miami with 31 points as he reached the 20-point mark for the 25th consecutive game, the longest current streak in the NBA…

David Lee scored 22 points and grabbed 13 rebounds and Jack added 20 points off the bench for the Warriors…

The Heat received a scare in the second quarter when Lee sent James to the floor with a flagrant foul sending James to the floor on his back.

James popped up quickly, but spent the next couple of minutes stretching out his right shoulder before knocking down the free throw and hitting a shot on the ensuing possession for a 47-43 lead.

— Reported by the Associated Press

Heat stop 2-game losing streak, beat Hornets

For the Miami Heat, one nearly perfect quarter was more than enough to help stop a two-game slide.

Dwyane Wade scored 26 points, LeBron James finished with 24 points and seven assists, and the Heat shot a season-best 58 percent on the way to topping the New Orleans Hornets 106-90 on Saturday night.

Chris Bosh scored 13, and Ray Allen and Shane Battier each added 11 for Miami, which took control by outscoring the Hornets 33-10 over the final 11 minutes of the second quarter. New Orleans started the game 10 for 12 from the floor, then shot 9 for 31 over the rest of the half.

”We’ve got to defend. It’s that simple,” James said. ”When we defend, the game’s that much easier for us.”

Ryan Anderson scored 24 for New Orleans, which got 20 from Robin Lopez and 12 from Jason Smith. The Hornets turned the ball over 19 times, and Miami converted the miscues into 22 points…

James has scored at least 20 points in all 18 Miami games this season. He tied a Heat record by scoring 20 in 23 straight regular-season games (going back to last season) and 39 consecutive games overall, including playoffs. He made 10 of his first 11 shots on Saturday…

Bosh missed three dunk attempts in the game, including two on one possession in the third quarter, and predictably was teased in the locker room about it postgame.

— Reported by Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press

Knicks earning some respect from Heat

The game lost some of its luster when Carmelo Anthony had to back out with a finger injury, but the Knicks definitely had the Miami Heat’s attention heading into Thursday night’s meeting.

The defending champs gave the Knicks, who haven’t won a playoff series since 2000, the ultimate respect, and it wasn’t because they beat Miami by 20 on opening night. The Heat’s star players, LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, sounded as if they expect the Knicks to challenge them all season.

“In the Eastern Conference, you would have to look up and say they’re the measuring stick right now, and they would say the same about us,” Wade said at the morning shootaround.

Of course, the Heat thought Anthony was playing when those nice things were said. He sat out with a left middle finger laceration suffered in Wednesday’s win in Charlotte…

James didn’t want to give the Knicks much credit before they met in November, but he acknowledged that they’ve become tougher, smarter and harder to defend.

“They’re a more experienced team,” James said. “They’re more dangerous. They added a key piece in Jason Kidd. His basketball IQ is pretty much one of the highest that we have in this league. It kind of trickles down to everyone else.”

— Reported by Al Iannazzone of New York Newsday

Or, as LeBron James put it after putting himself through a postgame workout — as if he, with 31 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists was the problem — “They kicked our ass. They have pretty much dominated us in two games.”

That’s the reality, and Thursday the Knicks did so without Carmelo Anthony, hitting 18-of-44 shots from behind the arc.

“We’ve got work to do,” James said. “We can’t act like, OK, let’s just sweep this under the rug. We’ve got a lot of work to do. New York is a real team, they’ve got

some real good players, and we understand that.”

Why did James work up a postgame sweat in the weight room?

“I’ve got to be better,” James said. “I’ve got to be better. It’s that simple. I’m here, and I’m the last one to leave.”

— Reported by Ethan J. Snolnick of the Palm Beach Post

Norris Cole sits out for Heat

Miami Heat guard Norris Cole had hoped to use Saturday’s performance against the Brooklyn Nets as a steppingstone.

Now, he will have to take a couple steps back before making progress. Cole did not play in Tuesday’s game against the Washington Wizards because of a strained groin.

Cole went through the morning shootaround, but coach Erik Spoelstra said it was best for him to rest rather than risk further injury. He suffered the injury at some point during Saturday’s victory against the Brooklyn Nets.

The decision to sit him was made for precautionary reasons.

— Reported by Shandel Richardson of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Wade scores 34, Heat beat Nets

Dwyane Wade scored a season-high 34 points, LeBron James added 21 points and the Miami Heat rallied from a 14-point deficit to beat the Brooklyn Nets 102-89 on Saturday night.

Ray Allen scored 13 and Norris Cole finished with 12 for the Heat, who won their sixth straight and remained atop the Eastern Conference. Miami held the Nets to 30 points in the second half.

Andray Blatche scored 20 points for Brooklyn, which had won five in a row. Gerald Wallace had 13 points, Joe Johnson added 12 and Deron Williams finished with 10 points and 12 assists.

The Nets were 10 for 31 from the field in the second half and lost to Miami for the 12th straight time.

Wade added seven assists and shot 14 for 20 for Miami. He reached the 30-point mark for the first time this season when he took an alley-oop pass from Allen and slammed the ball for a 90-81 edge with 5:14 left…

Brooklyn had just one field goal in the first 9:06 of the final quarter, missing 10 of 11 shots in that stretch as Miami – despite shooting 5 for 16 over the same stretch – pulled away.

— Reported by Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press

Short-handed Spurs fall to Heat, 105-100

When Gregg Popovich gives his best players a night off to rest, it’s not uncommon for the San Antonio Spurs coach to get letters from upset fans.

This time, he’s going to hear from an upset commissioner – even after Popovich’s short-handed team nearly knocked off the Miami Heat.

Ray Allen’s 3-pointer with 22.6 seconds left gave Miami the lead, LeBron James finished with 23 points and the Heat rallied to beat the Spurs 105-100 on Thursday night – digging deep despite San Antonio’s decision to have four top players resting at home in a move that bothered NBA Commissioner David Stern.

The Spurs played without Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and Danny Green, all sent back to San Antonio by Popovich, who said the move was in his team’s best interest…

Allen scored 20 points, Dwyane Wade added 19 and Chris Bosh finished with 18 points and 12 rebounds for Miami, now 7-0 at home.

Neal had 20 points for the Spurs. Tiago Splitter scored 18 points, Nando De Colo added 15, Boris Diaw scored 12 and Bonner had 10 for San Antonio, which finished a six-games-in-nine-nights road trip with a 5-1 record. Bonner also had 10 rebounds, one more than he had grabbed all season entering the game…

San Antonio closed the first quarter on a 21-6 run, taking a 27-22 lead after the period, and simply did not go away. The Spurs led by as many as seven at one point, and after James Anderson made a pair of free throws with 0.6 seconds left in the third, San Antonio held a 76-73 lead heading into the final 12 minutes.

— Reported by Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press