Heat Dominate Lakers

Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers made their annual visit to south Florida Thursday night at American Airlines Arena and they were destroyed by the Miami Heat 98-87. Miami swept the home-and-home series against the Lakers last season. Dwyane Wade was not available and did not dress for the game. LeBron James spearheaded the Heat with 31 points, eight assists and eight rebounds. Los Angeles scored the first four points of the game and led 8-5 on six straight points by Pau Gasol. It was the last time the Lakers would be ahead in the contest. Miami came back with ten unanswered points for a 18-10 lead at 3:12 and were ahead 25-20 after one quarter. With 5:06 left in the first half, the Heat were up 40-26 following a 15-6 run to begin the period. Miami held a 15-point lead at halftime and continued to control a double-digit lead throughout the third quarter. The Heat increased their lead by 21 points on a Joel Anthony field goal at the end of the quarter 77-56. The Lakers went on a 15-4 spurt midway through the fourth quarter and cut the deficit down to ten points at 94-84 with 2:02 left. Bryant scored the last 11 points for Los Angeles, part of his 24 points in the game. Gasol had a Lakers game-high 26 points. Chris Bosh, Mario Chalmers and Shane Battier all had double-digit points for the Heat.