Heat’s Big 3 all deliver rare 30 and 10 (AP)

MIAMI (AP)—With the playoffs looming, LeBron James(notes), Dwyane Wade(notes) and Chris
Bosh(notes) are finding a new gear.

And they accomplished something Sunday that hadn’t been done in more than 50
years.

Each of them had 30-10 nights—James with 33 points and 10 rebounds, Bosh
had 31 points and 12 rebounds, and Wade shook off a bruised tailbone to finish
with 30 points and 11 boards—as the Miami Heat beat the Houston Rockets
125-119 for their eighth win in nine games.

It was the first time since February 1961 that three teammates finished with
at least 30 points and 10 rebounds in a non-overtime game.

“Unbelievable,” James said.

“That’s why we get paid the big bucks,” Wade said.

The last time a team had three players score 30 in the same game was Feb.
26, 2010, when Houston had Martin, Aaron Brooks(notes) and Scola combine for 94 against
San Antonio. Before that, you’d have to go back all the way to Nov. 14, 1997,
when Portland’s Isaiah Rider, Brian Grant and Arvydas Sabonis all had 30-plus
points and 10 or more rebounds in a quadruple-overtime win over Phoenix.

But doing it in regulation, the last time that happened was a half-century
ago, when Oscar Robertson, Jack Twyman and Wayne Embry—Hall of Famers all—
did it for the Cincinnati Royals in a loss to the Philadelphia Warriors.

“One of the things we talked about when we came together was making
history,” Bosh said.

Mike Bibby(notes) added 14 points for the Heat, who beat Houston by the same score
on Dec. 29.

Kevin Martin(notes) scored 29 points, Luis Scola(notes) added 28 and Kyle Lowry(notes)—who
tweaked an ankle late—had 25 points, nine assists and seven rebounds for the
Rockets. Chase Budinger(notes) scored 16 for Houston, which had a five-game winning
streak snapped.

“We started man-to-man and Wade and James just ran by us,” Rockets coach
Rick Adelman said. “Then we went to a zone and we knew that was going to be a
problem. Even then, we didn’t put a body on people. We were trying to keep them
from getting the easy opportunities and we didn’t do it.”

Wade sealed it with 33 seconds left, taking a handoff from James and making
a left-handed layup while getting knocked into a row of courtside photographers
for a 120-115 lead. The Heat never trailed in the fourth quarter, taking the
lead for good when James Jones(notes) made three free throws with 9:22 remaining.

The Rockets are 0-3 when trying to win six straight games this season, and
haven’t had a run of that many wins since February 2009.

“We gave everything we had,” Martin said. “We just didn’t execute well
enough.”

The Heat noticed late in the game that Bosh had 28 points, and after Miami’s
star trio combined for 91 points Friday in a win over Philadelphia, they talked
about what it would be like for each of them to score 30.

That chance came exactly one game later. And Bosh needed two trips to the
foul line, but he got it done—only to learn afterward of the historical
ramifications.

“That’s what makes great players special,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said.
“They can be great during the year and still find another gear and another
level to go to. I think that’s what you’re seeing with those three guys.”

It wasn’t anywhere near as easy as their stat lines would indicate.

Scola played off James at the top of the key with 3:35 left, the two-time
reigning MVP made a stepback jumper, and the Heat lead was 116-106. Lowry tipped
in his own missed layup with 51 seconds remaining to get Houston within 118-115,
but Wade came through on the next Miami possession, and the Heat survived.

“Too many points,” Scola said. “When you play a team with Bosh, James and
Wade, that’s very dangerous.”

Much like the 125-119 Heat win at Houston earlier this season, this was
another track meet. Miami’s 38 first-quarter points were its second-highest
total of the season—and Houston’s 37 points after 12 minutes were the
third-most the Heat had given up this season.

It was 71-68 at the half, Miami’s highest-scoring opening two quarters in
more than five years.

Still, it didn’t provide much of a cushion.

The bigger concern was Wade, who bruised his tailbone after appearing to
trip over teammate Juwan Howard’s(notes) feet while trying to grab an offensive rebound
midway through the second. He finished the half, but missed the first 7 1/2 minutes
of the third quarter while being tended to in the Miami locker room.

And the Rockets took advantage.

Martin had 11 points in the third quarter, nine coming in an 89-second span.
He made a 3-pointer with 5:20 left in the period, slapping his hands in
frustration and yelling that he got fouled. So he drew shooting fouls on each of
Houston’s next two possessions, including one while shooting a 3 with 4:30 left.
He made all three foul shots and the Rockets were up 87-81.

That’s when Wade returned, and Miami got a spark.

The Heat closed the quarter on a 12-4 run over the final 3:17, capped by
James blowing past Patrick Patterson(notes) for a dunk that knotted the game at 93
entering the fourth.

NOTES: Miami outrebounded Houston 48-33. … The Rockets trailed for 7:12 of
the opening quarter, which is 2:09 more than they trailed in their five previous
games combined. … Roger Federer sat courtside, and actress Emmanuelle Chriqui
got a loud ovation when she was shown on the arena scoreboards. … Martin, the
NBA’s leader in free throws made this season with 523 entering Sunday, was 11
for 12. … It was the second straight game in which Wade finished with at least
30 points, 10 rebounds and five assists.