MIAMI: The Miami Heat railed early and waited until the end of the third quarter to make their move, winning by double figures for the ninth game in a row by beating New Orleans 96-84. Dwyane Wade scored 32 points, topping 30 for the third consecutive game, and Chris Bosh added 23 points and 11 rebounds. The Heat blew the game open with an 18-2 spurt that put them up 94-77. LeBron James had 20 points and seven assists for Miami, which became the sixth team in NBA history to win nine straight games by at least 10 points or more. Only three teams – the 2007-08 Houston Rockets, 2003-04 New Jersey Nets and 1946-47 Washington Capitols – have won 10 straight by at least 10 points, and the Heat will try to match the NBA record Wednesday against James' former team, the Cleveland Cavaliers. David West had 26 points and 12 rebounds for the Hornets, who are 3-9 since an 11-1 start. Bulls 92, Pacers 73: At Chicago, Carlos Boozer had 22 points and 18 rebounds, and Derrick Rose added 17 points and 12 assists as Chicago got its first six-game winning streak since Nov. 25-Dec. 8, 2006. The 73 points was a season-low for Indiana and it was the third straight game Chicago held its opponent to a season-worst total. The Bulls held the LA Lakers to 84 points on Friday and the Minnesota Timberwolves to 82 points Saturday. Brandon Rush and T.J. Ford both had 13 points for Indiana. Bucks 103, Mavericks 99: At Dallas, Brandon Jennings had 23 points and 10 assists, and Milwaukee rallied from a 20-point second-quarter deficit to end Dallas' 12-game winning streak. Andrew Bogut had 21 points and 14 rebounds, and Keyon Dooling added 16 points for the Bucks, who won their fourth in five games. Dirk Nowitzki scored 30 points and Shawn Marion had 14 for the Mavericks. Bulls 92, Pacers 73: At Chicago, Carlos Boozer had 22 points and 18 rebounds, and Derrick Rose added 17 points and 12 assists as Chicago got its first six-game winning streak since Nov. 25-Dec. 8, 2006. The 73 points was a season-low for Indiana and it was the third straight game Chicago held its opponent to a season-worst total. The Bulls held the Los Angeles Lakers to 84 points Friday and the Minnesota Timberwolves to 82 points Saturday. Brandon Rush and T.J. Ford both had 13 points for Indiana. Jazz 108, Warriors 95: At Salt Lake City, Deron Williams scored 30 points, and reserve C.J. Miles had 20 points and six rebounds as Utah sent Golden State to its seventh straight loss. Paul Millsap added 16 points for Utah, including 10 points in the third quarter when the Jazz outscored the Warriors 31-24 to take a 74-70 lead. Dorell Wright led Golden State with 20 points, including four 3-pointers. Reggie Williams added 10 for the Warriors. Grizzlies 86, Trail Blazers 73: At Memphis, Tennessee, Zach Randolph had 25 points and 20 rebounds, and Rudy Gay added 16 points to lead Memphis to its third straight win. The victory snapped an eight-game winning streak for Portland in Memphis. Wesley Matthews scored 18 points and Andre Miller had 14 points and nine assists for Portland, which lost its second straight after a four-game winning streak. Obama lauds Lakers Just weeks after splitting his lip in a pick-up basketball game, President Barack Obama Monday resisted the temptation to shoot hoops with the stars of the NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers. But Obama congratulated Kobe Bryant and his Lakers teammates on their NBA championship season last year, as he gathered the stars at a Washington Boys and Girls club. He also spent time assembling care packages for wounded US troops with key Lakers players, including Lamar Odom, Pau Gasol, Derek Fisher and Ron Artest, before addressing the complete team, along with coach Phil Jackson in a gym.
