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James helps Cavs send Wade, Heat to 14th straight loss

Jan 22, 2008 - 6:40 AM MIAMI (Ticker) -- Superstar LeBron James scored 28 points as the Cleveland Cavaliers continued their steady climb with a 97-90 victory over the lowly Miami Heat on Monday night.

Zydrunas Ilgauskas collected 13 points and 11 rebounds and Drew Gooden scored 11 for the Cavaliers, who have won 10 of their last 12 games.

Cleveland also improved to an impressive 8-1 since the start of the calendar year, riding the strong play of the 23-year-old James, who is averaging 32.1 points in 2008.

"I believe we can get better," Cleveland coach Mike Brown said. "I believe we still have a very high ceiling. But I have to give my team credit because they are winning ballgames, and that's what we get paid to do."

While the Cavs are enjoying success, things are totally different for Dwyane Wade and the hapless Heat.

Despite getting 42 points from Wade, Miami (8-32) dropped its 14th consecutive game and is in danger of matching the worst slide in franchise history. In 1988-89, the Heat opened the season with 17 straight losses.

"We are going to win one day," said Wade, who made 17-of-29 shots. "To fall short again, it hurts. As long as guys keep coming in and keep believing, that's the main thing. I believe."

With the game tied at 72-72 in the fourth quarter, Cleveland took over for good behind an aggressive 14-5 surge capped by Daniel Gibson's 3-pointer with 4:41 remaining.

Wade's unwillingness to give up showed as he helped close the deficit to 92-88 with 30 seconds left. After Chris Quinn made Miami's first basket of the fourth, Wade scored the team's final 18 points to set a franchise record.

Wade's 32-point, second-half performance also was a club mark.

But James and Damon Jones made critical free throws to seal the victory, the Cavs' first win in South Beach in nine tries.

"I think we're just the better team," James said. "We know how to win ballgames late in the game. We have that fourth-quarter lineup that knows how to win ballgames."

Shaquille O'Neal scored 10 points and Udonis Haslem added nine and 13 boards for Miami, which only is 2 1/2 games ahead of Minnesota (6-34) for the worst record in the league.