12-27-2019, 06:33 AM
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- LeBron James stripped the ball at midcourt, raced the length of the floor and lifted off for a powerful one-handed dunk. Bobcats owner Michael Jordan, seated on the Charlotte bench, could only look on helplessly. James was taking over and the Miami Heat, well, they were starting to look like the Miami Heat of the past two seasons. Unlike the first two games of the series, James made sure this game wouldnt be close. James had 30 points and 10 rebounds, and the Heat easily defeated the Bobcats 98-85 Saturday night to take a 3-0 lead in the Eastern Conference first round. Dwyane Wade added 17 points for the Heat, who can close out the best-of-seven series Monday night. "We were locked in on what needs to be done and our keys to win this game," James said. James went 10 of 18 from the field and pushed his record to 18-0 against the Bobcats since joining the Heat in 2010. Miami has won 19 straight overall against Charlotte. Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said his players took a "professional approach" following a 101-97 win Game 2 that came down the wire, dedicating themselves to fixing their mistakes rather than being satisfied with the win. Now he said the challenge is closing out the Bobcats. "You dont want a series to go longer than it needs to," Spoelstra said. Al Jefferson finished with 20 points -- 15 in the first quarter -- for the Bobcats, who are still searching for the first post-season win in franchise history. After trailing most of the first half, the Heat took control in the final four minutes of the second quarter. Mario Chalmers gave Miami a 42-40 lead on a 3-pointer, Norris Cole hit a 5-foot bank shot and then another 3 from the left wing helping the Heat close the half on a 16-4 run. Miami made 8 of their first 11 3-pointers. The half, which had started with so much energy and promise for the Bobcats, ended with a colossal mistake by guard Gerald Henderson. With the clock winding down, he turned the ball over in the backcourt with 2 seconds left and then fouled James while the Miami forward was attempting a 3-pointer. James made the Bobcats pay by sinking three free throws with 0.2 left on the clock to give the Heat a 58-46 advantage at the break. "We butchered the last three-and-a-half minutes of the first half," Bobcats coach Steve Clifford said. Said James: "I put it on my shoulders tonight to close out the quarter the right way. And I think that resulted in the way we started the third quarter." The second half was all Miami. James, who was booed loudly almost every time he touched the ball, hit a key 3-pointer and had the breakaway dunk off a steal from Josh McRoberts in the third quarter to help push the lead to 26 midway through the third. The Bobcats never mounted a series challenge after that point. James has never lost a first-round series with his teams in Cleveland and Miami going a combined 8-0. There was some intrigue entering the game. James was outspoken on Friday after taking an elbow to the throat from McRoberts in Game 2, although no flagrant foul was called on the floor. The two made contact early in the first quarter when James drove baseline and McRoberts attempted to take a charge, but officials called a blocking foul. James made the shot but missed the ensuing free throw. McRoberts walked away after the foul clapping his hands, refusing to get upset by a call that could have easily gone the other way. Slowing down Jefferson was crucial for the Heat. He hit 7 of 9 shots to start the game helped Charlotte take a 27-23 lead after the first quarter. By the middle of the second quarter, Bobcats fans, wearing all white, began chanting "M-V-P M-V-P" as Jefferson shot free throws. But Charlottes enthusiasm was short-lived as James and the Heat began flexing its muscles. Jefferson was held to just five points in the final three quarters in large part due to Chris Bosh. "They just got up in the passing lanes and made it hard for us to get Al the ball," Clifford said. "Youve got to give them credit. Their defence was terrific." The Heat also turned up the pressure on point guard Kemba Walker, trapping him out near half court. The Heat forced 14 turnovers. NOTES: The soldout crowd of 19,633 was the largest ever to see a Bobcats game at Time Warner Cable Arena. ... Bobcats owner Michael Jordan took in the game from the end of the bench. ... James has scored at least 20 points in all three playoff games ... The Heat are 19-7 in the playoffs over the past two seasons Blue Edwards Jersey .Y. - Alex Rodriguez paid $305,000 for evidence that could be used in the case involving the Biogenesis of America drug clinic, the Daily News reported Saturday. Justin Wright-Foreman Jersey . The second-ranked Jayhawks will play the Miners of Texas-El Paso at Imperial Arena in the Bahamas. The game can be seen live on TSN2 starting at 7pm et/4pm pt. https://www.cheapjazzonline.com/468e-pau...-jazz.html . -- When the Los Angeles Kings are on top of their formidable defensive game, they revel in the silence they can create in a frustrated road arena. Bryon Russell Jersey .Y. -- Cory Schneider has to make the most of his opportunities to guard the New Jersey Devils net to earn more playing time. Thurl Bailey Jersey . - Pierre-Maxime Poudrier scored twice and added an assist, and Antoine Bibeau made 43 saves as the Val-dOr Foreur downed the Baie-Comeau Drakkar 6-3 on Sunday to force Game 7 in their Quebec Major Junior Hockey League final series.LOS ANGELES -- When Scott Dixon stood next to the Astor Cup on a stage in downtown Los Angeles on Thursday, he was still a bit surprised to be so close to IndyCars championship trophy heading into the season finale. Just two weeks ago, Dixon needed an enormous amount of help to take control of the overall IndyCar race. Helio Castroneves gave it to him with a broken gearbox during a wild doubleheader in Houston, allowing Dixon to head for California with his third series title in sight. "Its been such an up-and-down season for us that its kind of hard to believe were here," said Dixon, the series champion in 2003 and 2008. "We started so poorly, but we managed to find some redemption at midseason and got back in the hunt. And then Houston happened, and now were here. Its been a wild ride." Indeed, Dixon hadnt been on top of the overall standings all season long until he left Houston with the lead. The last time Dixon led the championship was back in 2009, with one race to go -- and Dario Franchitti sped past him to claim the title. Thats why Dixon isnt cocky about his chances in IndyCars season finale at Fontana on Saturday night. "Its very easy to jinx yourself," Dixon said. "I think maybe you start thinking its a given, and you get too complacent. Everybody knows its not over. If were leading at the end of this race, then job accomplished, but we could still very well lose it." The New Zealander realizes he only needs a fifth-place finish to stay ahead of Castroneves for the overall title, but he wont change tactics just to stay safe. He expects a dynamic race on the long oval east of Los Angeles -- but hopefully without the pyrotechnics of the Houston doubleheader, which ended with teammate Franchitti in a hospital with two broken vertebrae, a broken ankle and a concussion. Castroneves had led the overall standings for 14 of the 18 races this season, and the Brazilian had a 49-point lead in the overall standings heading to Houston. But mechanical failures in both races left him 25 points behind Dixon, who won the first race of the doubleheader and finished second in the second race. Despite the horrific results in Houstonn, Castroneves hasnt lost his usual chipper demeanour -- or given up hope for a dramatic comeback.dddddddddddd Hes the only racer who could mathematically catch Dixon for the title. "The reason Im not mad is because its not over," Castroneves said. "We have a chance. Some things happened in Houston that youd never expect. Breaking the gearbox? No way to predict something like that could happen." Roger Penske said his team "fell on our face" in Houston, a failure that could leave Penske just short of the title for the sixth time since 2006. "In our case, with the scenario, its pretty simple," Penske Racing President Tim Cindric said. "Winning is really the only thing at the end of the day, and then you still have to hope." Dixon was among the first people to realize Castroneves championship hopes were in trouble during that second race in Houston: Oil from Castroneves gearbox doused Dixons car from the second or third lap onward, and Dixon screamed about it into his radio. Even when Castroneves was forced to stop, Dixon got no enjoyment from Castroneves woes. "Youre thinking, If its happening to him, it could very well happen to us as well," Dixon said, realizing Castroneves problems probably were caused by contact with a bump on Turn 1 in Houston. "Youve had so many situations where you think its great, and then five laps later, you have a problem yourself. Its very easy to get ahead of yourself and lose focus." Both Castroneves and Dixon are changing engines for the Fontana race, a common tactic on an oval track that makes the resulting speed more important than the 10-spot penalty on the starting grid for making a switch. Castroneves had easily the fastest race car at the Fontana test last month, and hes counting on that speed to give him a shot at the title. Dixon also will have a new teammate as he goes for the Cup: Alex Tagliani is the temporary replacement for Franchitti with Target Chip Ganassi Racing. "Its going to come down to the last lap, the last corner, probably," Dixon said. "Were going to have to dig deep. Im just excited to be a part of it." ' ' '