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James, Heat down Rockets

Feb 7, 2013 - 4:09 AM Miami, FL (Sports Network) - LeBron James and Dwyane Wade had 32 and 31 points, respectively, and the Miami Heat continued their home success with a 114-108 victory over the Houston Rockets.

Wade also had eight assists and four steals for the Heat, who improved to 20-3 at home this season. Shane Battier and Norris Cole donated 12 and 10 points, respectively.

Miami was without the services of Chris Bosh due to the flu.

"We held them to 108 (points). That team can score," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "Even when we had an opportunity in the second half to get a double- digit lead they came right back. That's what they do."

James Harden ended with 36 points, 12 boards and seven assists for the Rockets, who tied an NBA record with an eye-popping 23 3-pointers in Tuesday's 140-109 win over Golden State. Houston went just 9-of-25 from beyond the arc on Wednesday.

Omer Asik had a double-double with 15 points and 14 rebounds, Patrick Patterson donated 15 points and Chandler Parsons and Jeremy Lin added 13 points apiece.

Harden's 3-pointer with 1:11 to play got Houston within three, 109-106. The Rockets had a chance to tie the game following Battier's missed 3-pointer, but Harden was called for an offensive charge.

On the ensuing Miami possession, James turned the ball over on a traveling violation. The Heat, though, got the ball right back when James Anderson was called for an offensive charge.

James made 1-of-2 free throws with 17.4 seconds left to give Miami a 110-106 margin. Wade blocked Harden's shot from beyond the arc and added two free throws at the other end.

"We had some breakaways and some shots we could have gotten in, but we just didn't make the plays," Rockets coach Kevin McHale said about the final two minutes.

The Heat led by as many as 10 in the first quarter and took a 32-30 edge into the second.

Each team held a seven-point lead in the second stanza, which ended with Miami holding a 63-56 margin.

The Heat started the second half on a 14-4 run to create some distance. James made a trio of 3-pointers during the surge to make it 77-60.

Houston fought back with a surge of its own to get within six, 89-83, after three quarters.

The Heat went on a 9-0 spurt early in the fourth to build a 98-86 margin, but the Rockets fought back with a 7-0 flurry later in the frame. Lin made a pair of free throws with 3:54 remaining to cut the gap to 100-95.

Following four straight Miami points, Harden went on a personal 6-0 run to get Houston within three, 104-101.

Game Notes

The Heat have won seven in a row against the Rockets, including a 113-110 victory in Houston on Nov. 12. Houston hasn't won in Miami since Nov. 24, 2008, losing four in a row there ... James has scored at least 30 points in three straight games ... Each team shot 48.8 percent from the field ... Houston turned the ball over 16 times, leading to 20 Miami points.