NBA Roundup: Heat runs off 76ers, 99-79
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With LeBron James running the show, the Miami Heat ran the Philadelphia 76ers out of their building.
Dwyane Wade scored 26 points, and James had 19 points and 12 rebounds to lift the Miami Heat to a 99-79 victory against Philadelphia at Well Fargo Center.
Needing a jump-start in the fourth, James shifted to point guard, sparking a dominant late run that put away the pesky 76ers. James led a makeshift lineup that included Udonis Haslem and Mike Miller to a 15-0 spurt in the quarter. It turned a tight one for 36 minutes into a comfortable victory and handed the 76ers just their third home loss of the season.
Wade used two ferocious dunks in a game-changing run that pushed the 76ers' first sellout crowd of the season toward the exits.
"When he's out there and we're all on the same page on what we're running offensively," Wade said, "it makes us a dynamic team."
Mario Chalmers scored 13 points and Chris Bosh had 12 to help the Heat in a needed bounce-back game. James had six of his eight assists in the fourth.
"[Friday] was probably the best game from start to finish, as far as playing hard and communicating on both ends, that we had all season," James said. "So it was a good win."
James scored a season-high 40 points in a loss Wednesday night at Milwaukee. The Heat held a tough practice Thursday in Philadelphia to get back on track. The Heat went broke down all aspects of the team via film and some honest communication.
"It was no-holds barred, no tongues being held," James said. "If we're going to be held to a championship standard, we need to go out and play like it. No one can take things personal if someone says something to him. We've got to take constructive criticism."
Thaddeus Young scored 16 points for the 76ers, whose four-game winning streak was snapped.
The 76ers opened the week with wins against Orlando and Chicago. The Heat squashed the home-week sweep.
Miami's 113-92 victory Jan. 21 was Philadelphia's only double-digit loss of the season.
First Published February 4, 2012 12:11 am
