NBA: Heat rally, down Magic 110-94
Miami Heat’s LeBron James, right, looks to pass around Orlando Magic’s Tobias Harris (12) during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Orlando, Fla., Saturday, Jan. 4, 2014. AP/John Raoux
ORLANDO, Fla. — Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh each had 20 points and the Miami Heat rallied to beat the Orlando Magic 110-94 on Saturday night.
Rashard Lewis added 18 points and LeBron James 15 points, eight rebounds and eight assists.
The Heat’s win was their eighth straight over the Magic. It was also Miami’s 22nd consecutive divisional victory, leaving it just one win short of tying Boston’s NBA record of 23 set in 1961.
Both teams played without starters Saturday. The Magic were without center Nik Vucevic, who missed his second straight game with a sprained left. Heat forward Shane Battier also was out with a sore quadriceps.
Jameer Nelson led Orlando with 21 points and Tobias Harris added 17 points and 10 rebounds.
The Magic lost their third straight.
Wade has been pacing himself recently in back-to-back game situations, but started Saturday. Miami hosts Toronto on Sunday.
With Battier out, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra started Lewis in his place, and got quality minutes from him all night. He hit three 3-pointers, and had eight points during a big Heat third-quarter run.
The Magic tried to adjust to Vucevic’s absence by shifting Glen Davis to center and inserting Andrew Nicholson in to start at power forward.
Nicholson played only six minutes, but Davis took advantage of Battier’s absence and had a lot of early success inside.
The Magic clung to a 57-54 lead early in the third quarter before a layup by James ignited a 19-2 Heat run that put Miami back in front 73-59.
The Magic never got closer than nine in the fourth quarter.
