MIAMI: LeBron James became the first player to score at least 30 points and shoot 60 percent in six consecutive games as the Miami Heat wrapped up a homestand with a 117-104 win over the Portland Trail Blazers.
Reigning league MVP James finished with 30 points and nine assists in the final contest of a five-game homestand at the American Airlines Arena yesterday. He also shot 11-of-15 (73.3 percent) from the field.
“With how many great and dominate players that have come through over the years and paved the way for me, to be able to have this streak, and to be able to have won each game while also being efficient from the floor means a lot,” James said.
Chris Bosh scored 32 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, and Dwyane Wade finished with 24 points, nine rebounds and seven assists for the Heat, who have won six straight contests.
James joined Hall of Famers Adrian Dantley and Moses Malone as the only NBA players to score 30-plus points and shoot at least 60 percent five straight times in the Heat’s previous win.
Now he is the first NBA player to do it in six straight games.
“To see how small the list was and for me to even be part of that list to start off was -- wow,” James said. “To have a record for myself is an honor.
“I was just in a flow. I wanted to be aggressive early in the game. I just went with the flow of the game. I didn’t pressure anything. It just happened.”
Damian Lillard had a game-high 33 points and LaMarcus Aldridge added 29 for the Trail Blazers, who have lost four straight. Wesley Matthews had 20 points on eight-of-13 shooting in the loss.
Portland led 57-43 with just under five minutes left in the second quarter, but the Heat outscored Portland 15-2 to go into halftime trailing 59-58.
Miami carried the momentum into the third quarter, using a 23-8 run to take an 81-67 lead en route to the win.The Heat now embark on a four-game road trip against Oklahoma City, Atlanta, Chicago and Philadelphia.
Meanwhile, the Toronto Raptors squandered an early lead and withstood a furious rally by the Denver Nuggets for a 109-108 victory over one of the NBA’s hottest teams yesterday.
The Raptors, who led by as many as 13 points late in the first quarter, got 22 from DeMar DeRozan and moved to within six games of the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. AGENCIES
