Lebron’s 34 turns up Heat on Thunder
NBA: If Miami Heat vs. Oklahoma City Thunder is what the NBA finals are going to look like, then June can’t get here fast enough.
For now, the Heat will have to settle for racking up home victories, including Wednesday night’s 98-93 decision over the Thunder.
The victory extended the Heat’s home-winning streak to 17, one off the franchise record, and took the sting off the blowout loss two Sundays ago in Oklahoma City.
LeBron James had 34 points and 10 assists, and Dwyane Wade scored 19 points.
Mario Chalmers scored 13 points, and Chris Bosh had 12 for Miami, which trailed by 11 in the first half before a comeback fueled in part by Russell Westbrook pulling James down from behind on a fast break in the second quarter.
Kevin Durant scored 30 points for Oklahoma City, and Westbrook added 28, but shot 9 for 26.
Durant could have given Oklahoma City the lead with 1:30 left, backing down James and then trying a turnaround from the left side. His shot was way off, hitting the top of the backboard.
Bosh, who had been 3 for 13 to that point, made a jumper on the next Miami possession to make it 96-93. Kendrick Perkins then missed two free throws with 43.6 seconds left, the first Thunder misses from the line all night after starting 18 of 18.
After James couldn’t connect on the ensuing Miami trip, it was still a one-possession game. The Thunder called a timeout with 19.5 seconds left and went for the quick 3, Durant’s try hitting the front of the rim and going out of bounds. Wade made a pair of foul shots, stretching the lead to five, and it was soon over.
• Bynum scores 36 for Lakers: Kobe Bryant hit a pair of key late jump shots and Andrew Bynum scored 36 points as the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the host Los Angeles Clippers 113-108.
• Spurs keep rolling: Tim Duncan had 10 points and 16 rebounds and the visiting San Antonio Spurs recovered after blowing a 17-point, first-half lead to beat the Boston Celtics 87-86 for their ninth consecutive victory.
Duncan also stopped Paul Pierce on the final play, forcing him into a fallaway jumper that bounced off the rim.
• Aldridge leads Blazers: LaMarcus Aldridge had 24 points and nine rebounds and the Portland Trail Blazers rallied after surrendering the lead to visiting New Jersey in the fourth quarter for a 101-88 victory.
• Deal close to keep Hornets in New Orleans: Commissioner David Stern says the NBA is close to finalizing a deal to keep the Hornets in New Orleans with a very favorable lease, important capital improvements, intense tax benefits and a new television deal.
• Sullinger heading to NBA: After guiding Ohio State to the Final Four, two-time All-American forward Jared Sullinger figured he might as well see what he could do for an NBA team.
The 6-foot-9 sophomore announced that he is giving up his final two seasons with the Buckeyes to make himself available for the NBA draft in June. Most projections have him going in the top 10 picks.
Franzen scores twice in Red Wings’ win
NHL: Johan Franzen scored on consecutive shots in the third period to end Brian Elliott’s shutout streak after more than 3 1/2 games, and Todd Bertuzzi netted the lone goal in a shootout as the visiting Detroit Red Wings rallied to beat the St. Louis Blues 3-2.
Pavel Datsyuk set up both regulation goals for the Red Wings, who moved a point ahead of Nashville for fourth in the Western Conference with 101 points. Both teams have two games remaining.
Seattle panel moves arena project forward
MISCELLANY: The concerns about traffic and infrastructure that prompted the Seattle Mariners to state their objection to a proposed new NBA/NHL arena in Seattle are not enough of a concern to stop the project from moving forward and continue the chance of bringing the NBA back to the Pacific Northwest.
That was the determination of an arena review panel commissioned by Seattle and King County that released its findings Wednesday. The panel’s charge was to review the proposal from San Francisco venture capitalist Chris Hansen, who has offered a plan calling for up to $290 million in private investment and capping the public investment at $200 million paid off through future taxes and revenues collected by use of the arena.
The panel highlighted a number of potential future hurdles and chief among them the traffic concerns the Mariners highlighted in a strongly worded letter to the city and county opposing the project. But the panel believes the arena could be the catalyst for fixing longstanding infrastructure troubles in Seattle’s SODO area that currently houses two sports stadiums and freight going in and out of the Port of Seattle.
While the advisory panel was giving its recommendation to move forward on Hansen’s proposal, the Mariners were busy trying to stress their letter to city and county leaders Tuesday wasn’t meant to block the possible return of the NBA to the region, but a plea to look at other possible sites.
• Lebedev retains cruiser title: Denis Lebedev retained his interim WBA cruiserweight boxing title by knocking out challenger Shawn Cox of Barbados in the second round at Moscow’s Crocus City Hall.
The 32-year-old Russian earned his 18th career knockout and improved to 25-1.
It was Lebedev third straight victory in Moscow. The Russian knocked out Roy Jones Jr. last May and beat James Toney in November.
Leaf remains in jail on 30-day hold
FOOTBALL: Ryan Leaf remains jailed in Great Falls and he might remain there for up to 30 days without being released on bond.
Leaf, the former NFL and Washington State quarterback, has been in custody since he was arrested early Monday morning for his second drug-related incident in the past week. Leaf was initially placed on a 72-hour hold by the probation and parole division of the state’s Department of Corrections, and that has been extended to a 30-day hold.
An administrator for Montana’s probation and parole division, said the reason Leaf is being held without bond is so Montana authorities can collect reports of his alleged crimes and provide those to authorities in Randall County, Texas, where Leaf had a suspended jail sentence from a drug case two years ago.