James scores 27, Heat beat Raptors 90-83
Miami Heat’s LeBron James reacts after a slam dunk against the Toronto Raptors during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Toronto, Friday, Nov. 29, 2013. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Mark Blinch)
TORONTO — LeBron James scored 27 points, Dwyane Wade had 22 and the Miami Heat won their ninth straight game, beating the Toronto Raptors 90-83 on Friday.
Ray Allen and Michael Beasley each scored seven points and Chris Bosh fouled out with four points as the Heat won their 13th straight over the Raptors and their seventh straight in Toronto. Miami has not lost to the Raptors since Jan. 27, 2010.
DeMar DeRozan scored 25 points and Rudy Gay had 21 points and 11 rebounds for the Raptors, who lost their second straight. Kyle Lowry had 15 for Toronto.
Miami called timeout after back-to-back baskets by Lowry and DeRozan cut it to 83-79 with 5:24 left in the fourth quarter.
After DeRozan missed a pair of free throws, Gay grabbed the rebound and scored on a layup, cutting it to 83-81. James responded with a 3, pushing the lead to five, and Toronto missed its next four shots.
Gay had a chance to end the scoring drought when he went to the free throw line with 1:37 to play, but missed both attempts. James answered with a layup, pushing the lead to seven.
Toronto made just two of 10 free throw attempts in the final quarter.
James’ only points in the first came on a reverse slam dunk, but Wade and Chalmers each had six for the Heat, who led 27-22 after one.
James scored eight in the second, including a pair of alley-oop dunks, and Chalmers also had eight as Miami took a 57-43 lead at halftime.
A fast-break dunk by James put Miami up 74-54 with 5:13 left in the third, but the raptors closed the quarter on a 16-4 run, making it 78-70 heading into the fourth.
Toronto’s Tyler Hansbrough needed two stitches to close a cut over his left eye in the first half, but he was able to return.
