Lebron James helps Heat to 20th consecutive win

PHILADELPHIA

Lebron James scored 27 points, with Dwayne Wade adding 21 more to the scoreboard as the Miami Heat beat the 76ers to become one of four teams this season to line consecutive victories for at least twenty games. Elsewhere, the Pacers, the Wizards, the Rockets, the Thunder and the Kings grasped victories on March 12.

The Miami Heat became the fourth team to win at least 20 consecutive games in an NBA season when LeBron James inspired a 98-94 comeback victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on the night of March 13.

James scored 27 points and Dwyane Wade added 21 as the Heat needed big baskets over the final 2 minutes to reach the milestone win.

Only three teams have won at least 20 consecutive games in the same season: the 1971-72 Los Angeles Lakers (33), the 2007-08 Houston Rockets (22) and the 1970-71 Milwaukee Bucks (20). The Washington Capitols also won 20 straight, spanning the end of the 1947-48 season and the start of the 1948-49 campaign.

At Atlanta, the Hawks shook off a 20-point third quarter by Kobe Bryant to end a three-game losing streak with a 96-92 victory over the Lakers.

Bryant finished with 31 points, but made just 11 of 33 shots. He drove the baseline with a chance to force overtime but watched his jumper slide off the rim with 3 seconds remaining. Making matters worse, he landed on Dahntay Jones’ foot and twisted his left ankle, crumpling to the court in pain.

Lakers spokesman John Black said Bryant is out indefinitely, just as a team that underachieved much of the season is playing its best basketball. Wednedsay’s loss ended a four-game winning streak and was just Los Angeles’ third loss in the last 12 games.

Bryant suffers injury

Bryant said it was the worst sprain he’s had in his 16-year career, and blamed Jones for sliding underneath him after he went up for the shot.

“First and foremost, the officials really need to protect shooters,” Bryant said. “You just can’t go into shooters. That’s a dangerous play.”

The Grizzlies had a 96-85 win over the Clippers at Los Angeles, with Marc Gasol scoring 21 points to help give Memphis its 14th win in 15 games, while the Nuggets ensured Carmelo Anthony’s return to the Pepsi Center was a flop with a 117-94 win over the Knicks.

Anthony, who left a couple of minutes into the second half when he aggravated his right knee injury. He scored just nine points on 3-of-12 shooting.

At Boston, Kevin Garnett scored 12 points, passing Jerry West for 15th on the NBA’s career scoring list, and Paul Pierce joined him among the top 20 scorers in league history with 15 points to lead the Celtics to a 112-88 win over the Raptors.

Ovation for Garnett

Garnett needed four points to pass West (25,192 points) and Pierce entered the game nine points shy of equaling Charles Barkley (23,757) for 20th.

Garnett hit a bank shot with 10:03 left in the second quarter and received a standing ovation when his milestone was announced. Boston fans returned to their feet again in the third to recognize Pierce.

In other games, the Pacers beat the Timberwolves 107-91, the Wizards defeated the Bucks 106-93, the Rockets had a 111-81 win over the Suns at Houston, the Thunder beat the Jazz 110-87, the Kings recorded their most lopsided victory of the season with a 121-79 scoreline against the Bulls,
and Stephen Curry had 31 points and eight assists as Golden State grinded out a 105-97 win over the struggling Detroit Pistons.