MIAMI, (Reuters) – LeBron James shrugged off flu-like symptoms to deliver a game-winning 31 points as the Miami Heat beat Kobe Bryant and the L.A. Lakers 98-87 in the clash of the NBA’s two biggest names on Thursday.
The Heat, missing injured guard Dwyane Wade, were on top from the first quarter and never looked in danger after establishing a 52-37 lead by halftime. James, whose involvement was in doubt until shortly before tip-off, ended the game with eight rebounds and eight assists after putting in 37:13 minutes, more than any of his team mates. “There were a few times I felt exhausted and luckily there was a timeout. I felt like I knew I could help the team. If I’m going to be on the floor I have to try and give it my all and we were able to get a key win,” James told reporters.
James put up a league-leading eighth 30-point game this season, showing little sign of the illness which had seen him sent home from the morning shoot-around.
“You could not even tell anything was wrong with him,” team mate Chris Bosh said. As always, the game was billed as ‘LeBron v Kobe’, and James now has a 11-5 record in head-to-head games against Bryant but he was quick to play down that particular aspect.
“It’s never been between Kobe and I, even though we get all the press and the limelight. I’ve been in this league long enough that I don’t have to prove anything to Kobe, and he doesn’t have to prove anything to me.”
Bryant came into the game averaging a league-leading 30.8 points, the only player more prolific than James, but was limited by the Miami defense in the first half.
Although he ended the game with 24 points, most of those came with the game well beyond Los Angeles – with Bryant putting up 14 fourth quarter points, including the final 11 points of the game for his team
At halftime, Bryant had just six points to his name and a woeful one-of-eight field goal success rate after being particularly well-watched by exceptional guard Shane Battier, an off-season signing who was standing in for Wade. “The thing about Shane is he has to be one of the most disciplined intelligent players I have ever been around, he simply does not make mistakes,” Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra said.
Although Bryant finished with a flourish after a belated attempt at a rally by Los Angeles, it was a disappointing night for the 33-year-old.
“They played harder than we did tonight,” Bryant told reporters, adding that the team are “experimenting on the fly” under new head coach Mike Brown, given the lack of practice time in a season shortened by the lockout.
Spaniard Pau Gasol top-scored for the Lakers with 26 points. The Heat lost three straight games on the road before returning home and beating the San Antonio Spurs 120-98 on Tuesday while the defeat drops the Lakers road record to 1-5 this season.
