(Reuters) – Three-pointers rained down from all directions as the Miami Heat burnt the San Antonio Spurs 120-98 on Tuesday despite the absence of All-Star guard Dwyane Wade.
Miami’s perimeter assault came in the second half where they made 12 of their 16 attempts from beyond the arc to erase a 14-point first-half deficit and snap their three-game losing streak with a dizzying display of long-distance shooting.
LeBron James led the way with 33 points and 10 assists, Chris Bosh scored 30 and Mike Miller (hernia injury) made his season debut off the bench with 18 points on a perfect six-from-six from three-point range.
It was a dramatic second-half turnaround that saw Miami rebound from a 17-point deficit in the second quarter. They did so with Wade looking on from them bench on his 30th birthday. Wade missed his fourth game of the season due to a foot injury. “I couldn’t disappoint my boy on his birthday,” James told reporters as Miami improved to 4-0 without Wade in the lineup.
“I think in the second half I took sleep (medicine), I came out and was tired. I was able to come back and put together a good third quarter.”
The Heat (9-4) took over by outscoring San Antonio 39-12 in the third, where at one point they used a 24-2 run to claim a commanding 85-70 advantage.
Tony Parker recorded 18 points and Daniel Green had 20 off the bench for the Spurs (9-5) who looked in control early on but had their three-game winning streak brushed aside.
San Antonio remained winless on the road this season at 0-5.
“In the second half, I thought they got physical and I felt we folded,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich lamented. “LeBron James was great. That certainly helped them kick our butts.”
