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Miller steps up as hobbled Heat crush Raptors to stop skid

Jan 23, 2011 - 6:00 AM Miami, FL (Sports Network) - LeBron James scored 38 points to go along with 11 rebounds and Mike Miller added 32 points on 6-of-11 from beyond the arc as the Miami Heat topped the Toronto Raptors, 120-103, at American Airline Arena.

Miller also grabbed 10 boards for the Heat, who played without Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade. Wade did not play due to a migraine and Bosh missed his second straight game with a sprained left ankle.

"It was great to see [Miller] relevant again in this league," James said. "It was great to see him finally get his touch."

James Jones scored 15 and Eddie House added 13 points in a reserve role for Miami, which snapped a season-long four-game losing streak.

DeMar DeRozan led the Raptors with 30 points while Andrea Bargnani added 28 for Toronto, which has lost in its last four visits to Miami.

"[Miller] played well and got it going a bit," Raptors coach Jay Triano said. "You get stuck trying to pitch in and help on [James], and you can't leave shooters open. You have to pick your poison. [Miller] hadn't been shooting the ball that great, but he certainly did tonight."

Miami's lead was above 20 for most of the third, however the Raptors ended the quarter with a 10-3 run, capped by two DeRozan free throws and a driving layup, to trim the Heat's lead to 92-77 entering the final stanza.

The Raptors opened the fourth quarter with consecutive baskets to put the game at 92-81, and Bargnani's three with 6:27 remaining cut their deficit to as low as seven, 99-92.

However, after the teams traded baskets James connected on a driving layup and three-point conversion to put the Heat back up double-digits. House drilled a three with 2:03 remaining to put Miami up 15, 116-101, and converted on the rare four-point play with 1:03 remaining to silence any chances of a Toronto comeback.

Bargnani's three with 10.9 ticks remaining accounted for the final margin.

James and Jones added 13 and 12 points, respectively, for Miami in the first quarter as the Heat took an early 32-17 lead after the opening 12 minutes. Miller went 5-of-8 from three-point range in the second quarter en route to 22 points, and the Heat widened their margin to 66-40 at the half.

Game Notes

Miami connected on 16-of-26 from three-point range while the Raptors made 5- of-8 from long distance...Raptors forward Linas Kleiza missed the game due to a sore right knee...Jose Calderon scored 14 points while dishing out a game- high 13 assists for Toronto...Amir Johnson added 14 points and six rebounds while Ed Davis grabbed a team-high 10 rebounds in a reserve role for Toronto.