Miami Heat’s LeBron James, right, drives around Cleveland Cavaliers’ Jarrett Jack during the second quarter of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, March 18, 2014, in Cleveland. AP
CLEVELAND — LeBron James scored 43 points — 25 in a bewildering first-quarter shooting display — and Chris Bosh added 21, leading the Miami Heat to a 100-96 win Tuesday over the Cleveland Cavaliers, who played their first game without injured All-Star guard Kyrie Irving.
James added two crucial blocks and made six free throws in the final two minutes and Bosh added a key rejection to lead the Heat to just their third win in eight games.
Miami’s Dwyane Wade sat out resting his knees, but the Heat’s two other megastars put away the Cavs.
Jarrett Jack scored 22 and Dion Waiters added 17 and 11 assists for Cleveland, which was also without forward Luol Deng (sprained ankle). Irving is expected to miss two weeks with a strained biceps tendon, an injury that further damages the Cavs’ fading playoff hopes.
HAWKS 118, RAPTORS 113, OT
ATLANTA — Jeff Teague equaled his career best with 34 points and Paul Millsap had the first triple-double of his career as the Hawks extended their longest winning streak of the season to five in a row, beating the Raptors.
Millsap had 19 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists to lead the Hawks, who have bounced back after losing 14 of 15 to strengthen their hold on the final playoff spot in the East.
The Hawks overcame an early 13-point deficit in a game that went back and forth in the final quarter. Millsap missed a chance to win it at the end of regulation, but Teague knocked down four free throws in the closing seconds to clinch it for Atlanta.