LeBron turns up the Heat in NBA

LeBron James showcases his skills including dunks, rebounds and steals as the Miami Heat beat the Phoenix Suns.

LeBron James scores 25 points in an impressive second half display against the Phoenix Suns [AFP]

LeBron James had 25 of his game-high 37 points in the second half and 11 in the final four minutes as the Miami Heat beat the Phoenix Suns 103-97.

James added nine rebounds and five steals and showed off an array of dunks as the Heat shook off a 94-89 loss in Utah by turning 16 Suns turnovers into 24 points.

Centre Chris Bosh added 21 points, including a big three-pointer that put the Heat up 99-92 with 40.3 seconds left.

Miami (36-14) played without guard Dwyane Wade who stayed at the team hotel with a migraine headache.

Guard Gerald Green had 26 points for the Suns (30-21).

Taj Gibson scored 24 points and centre Joakim Noah collected his fourth career triple-double, leading the Chicago Bulls to a 100-85 victory over the Atlanta Hawks.

Gibson hit 12-of-19 shots from the field, adding 12 rebounds and five assists.

Noah piled up 19 points, 16 rebounds and 11 assists for Chicago (26-25).

Atlanta (25-25) lost its season-high fourth in a row and dropped a half-game behind the Bulls in the Eastern Conference standings.

Al Jefferson scored 30 points and forward Anthony Tolliver came off the bench to score 22 as the Charlotte Bobcats cooled off the streaking Dallas Mavericks with a 114-89 win.

Winning streak snapped

The Bobcats went on extended runs to open both the second and third quarters, going on a 10-0 spurt to open the second quarter and then a 13-1 run in the third. They led by as many as 27.

The Mavericks came to Charlotte riding a five-game winning streak.

Anthony Bennett recorded his first career double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds in the Cleveland Cavaliers’ 106-99 victory over the Sacramento Kings.

Bennett, the top overall pick in the 2013 draft, recorded career highs in both points and rebounds.

It was the third consecutive win for the Cavs (19-33), who had five players in double figures.

Centre DeMarcus Cousins paced the Kings (17-35) with 21 points and 10 rebounds.

Point guard Isaiah Thomas added 16 points and eight assists for the Kings, who have the worst record in the Western Conference.

The Memphis Grizzlies held off Washington for a 92-89 victory despite a late scoring drought and a career-high 37 points from Wizards guard Bradley Beal.

Memphis went without a field goal for a 6 1/2-minute stretch of the fourth quarter, and lost an earlier 16-point lead but rallied late and saw Washington’s John Wall miss a potential tying shot at the final buzzer.

Nick Calathes and centre Marc Gasol each scored 18 points for Memphis (28-23).

Source: Reuters