Heat beat Boston 105-103 for 23rd win in a row

SOURCE: http://sports.inquirer.net/91981/heat-beat-boston-105-103-for-23rd-win-in-a-row#ixzz2NyTuolzY 

Miami Heat’s LeBron James (6) celebrates with fans as he walks off the court after their NBA basketball game against the Boston Celtics in Boston, Monday, March 18, 2013. James made the go-ahead jumper with 10.5 seconds left to lead Miami to its 23rd consecutive victory, 105-103 over the Celtics. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

BOSTON — LeBron James made the go-ahead jumper with 10.5 seconds left to lead Miami to its 23rd consecutive victory, 105-103 over the Boston Celtics on Monday night.

It’s the second-longest winning streak in NBA history, surpassing the 22 straight that Houston won in 2007-08 and trailing only the 33 in a row won by the 1971-72 Los Angeles Lakers.

James scored 37 with 12 assists as the Heat won in Boston in the regular season for the first time in 11 tries despite a career-high 43 points from Jeff Green. The Celtics were without Kevin Garnett, who has the flu and a left thigh strain.

NBA: Bryant reaches milestone, Lakers beat Mavs

SOURCE: http://sports.inquirer.net/88509/nba-bryant-reaches-milestone-lakers-beat-mavs

Dallas Mavericks’ O.J. Mayo (32) defends as Los Angeles Lakers’ Kobe Bryant goes up for a reverse layup score in the first half of an NBA basketball game Sunday, Feb. 24, 2013, in Dallas. AP/Tony Gutierrez

DALLAS, Texas – Kobe Bryant scored a game-high 38 points and became the youngest player in NBA history to surpass the 31,000-point mark as the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Dallas Mavericks 103-99 on Sunday.

Five-time NBA champion Bryant, who scored 14 of his points in the final quarter, also had 12 rebounds and seven assists and reached the 31,000 milestone at 34 years, 185 days.

Hall of Famer Wilt Chamberlain had the old mark at 36 years, 164 days.

“Kobe made some unbelievable big plays coming down the stretch,” Lakers coach Mike D’Antoni said. “All he needs is the ball. Just throw it over to him and that’s how he likes to operate.”

Steve Nash finished with 20 points and Dwight Howard grabbed 13 rebounds and nine points for the Lakers, who have won five straight games in Dallas. Nash is playing with a sore back.

“It’s tough when he has it going like that,” Dallas coach Rick Carlisle said of Bryant. “I think when we look at it on film, we had a lot of missed opportunities offensively.”