James scores 38 in 107-93 Heat win over Blazers

[March 02, 2012]  PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) -- LeBron James had 38 points and 11 rebounds and the Miami Heat resumed their season with a 107-93 rout of the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday night, extending their winning streak to nine games.

Dwyane Wade added 33 points and 10 assists for the Heat, who at 28-7 are off to their best 35-game start in franchise history.

Miami was playing in its first game since the All-Star break. The Heat hadn't played since a 102-88 victory at home over the New York Knicks last Thursday.

The Heat were without All-Star Chris Bosh because of a death in his family. He is also expected to miss Friday night's game at Utah, but it is not yet known whether he will play Sunday when Miami visits the Los Angeles Lakers.

LaMarcus Aldridge had 20 points for the Blazers, who were coming off a 104-95 loss to the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday night. Portland (18-18) has lost eight of its last 12 games.

It was Miami's fifth straight road win.

Before the game, the Blazers activated center Joel Przybilla, who was signed by the team earlier this week.

Przybilla, who spent more than six seasons in Portland before he was traded to Charlotte last season, has not played since last March. An 11-year NBA veteran, the 7-foot-1 center finished with four points, six rebounds and two blocked shots in 19 minutes.

A fan favorite, he was treated to a standing ovation by the Rose Garden crowd.

The Blazers jumped out to an early 14-6 lead, but the Heat came back to tie it on Wade's lob pass to James for the dunk. James and Wade combined for all of Miami's points to that point.

The Heat extended the lead to 30-21 on Mario Chalmers' jumper. They kept the Blazers at bay the rest of the half, going up 45-34 on Udonis Haslem's 15-foot jumper before taking a 60-42 lead into the break. James and Wade accounted for 41 of the team's points.

The Heat led by as many as 25 points in the third quarter. James' fast-break dunk put the Miami ahead 77-55.

James went to the bench in the fourth quarter with the Heat still holding a sizable lead. But the Blazers chipped away a bit, coming to within 91-78 on Wesley Matthews' reverse layup.

James' break was brief and the Blazers got as close as 95-85 on Nicolas Batum's 3-pointer with 4:35 left. James answered on the other end with a 3-pointer of his own.

James has scored 30 or more points in 15 games this season. Wade has scored at least 20 points in 10 straight games.

Last season, James scored 44 points against the Blazers, a record-high for an opponent at the Rose Garden, in a 107-100 overtime victory for the Heat. The road team has won the last five games in the series.

NOTES: Miami coach Erik Spoelstra was selected the NBA's Eastern Conference coach of the month on Thursday after leading Miami to a league-best 11-2 record in February. It's the third time he has earned the honor. ... Former Blazer Scottie Pippen was at the game. ... Batum cut his lip in the second half but returned. ... The game was the only meeting between the Heat and the Blazers this season. ... Portland placed C-F Kurt Thomas on the inactive list because of a concussion he sustained the night before in Portland's loss at Denver.

[Associated Press; By ANNE M. PETERSON]

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