Published : Dec. 28, 2011 - 20:01
MIAMI (AP) ― LeBron James scored 26 points, rookie point guard Norris Cole came up with 14 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter, and the Miami Heat nearly blew a 20-point lead before beating the Boston Celtics 115-107 on Tuesday night.
Dwyane Wade finished with 24 points and eight assists for Miami, which got 18 from Chris Bosh and twice saw its lead cut to three in the final minutes. Cole delivered the answer both times with a pair of jump shots, and the Heat escaped.
Ray Allen scored 28 points on 8 for 12 shooting for the Celtics, while Rajon Rondo finished with 22 points and 12 assists and Keyon Dooling scored 13 off the Boston bench.
Through two games, Miami (2-0) has trailed only once ― by two points, for all of 14 seconds.
Cole’s jumper with 3:01 left gave Miami a 108-98 lead, most of which disappeared in the next 59 seconds, thanks to Dooling ― a former Heat guard.
Minnesota Timberwolves forward Kevin Love (right) attempts a shot against Milwaukee Bucks guard Stephen Jackson in the first half. (AP-Yonhap News)
He scored seven straight points, including a 3-pointer with 2:02 remaining, cutting the Heat’s lead to three.
And when Boston got a stop on the next Miami trip, the Celtics looked for Dooling again.
But Wade stepped in front of a pass intended for Dooling, starting a play where James found Cole for another jumper, and Miami’s cushion was back to 110-105 with 1:31 to play.
And with a minute left, it was Cole again, with the biggest shot of the night for Miami. James set him up from the top of the key for another jumper, restoring the five-point edge. When Cole stepped to the foul line to close the scoring, he got “M-V-P” chants from the Miami crowd, something typically reserved for the likes of Wade, James and Bosh.
Boston was again without forward Paul Pierce (bruised right heel), who worked out both Monday and Tuesday and is getting closer to a return.
It won’t come on Wednesday, however ― the Celtics have already ruled him out of that game in New Orleans, but there is some hope of Pierce being in the lineup when Boston makes its home debut against Detroit on Friday.
Bucks 98, Wolves 95
Hawks 106, Nets 70
Blazers 101, Kings 79
Lakers 96, Jazz 71