LeBron James shook off flu symptoms to score 31 points and Chris Bosh added 15 as the Miami Heat topped the visiting Los Angeles Lakers, 98-87, Thursday night.
James was sent home from the team's shootaround practice earlier in the day to rest, and finished with eight rebounds and eight assists to go with 12 for 27 shooting.
Miami moved to 5-0 this season without Dwyane Wade, who missed his second straight game with a sprained right ankle. He missed three games earlier this season.
For the Lakers, Pau Gasol scored a season-high 26 points, Kobe Bryant had 24, and Andrew Bynum finished with 15 points and 12 rebounds.
Bryant put together a great late run to attempt a comeback, banking in a three-pointer and following that seconds later with a steal and transition dunk that got the Lakers within 94-84 with 2 minutes left. But Derek Fisher's three-point try on the next Lakers possession hit the front of the rim, and Udonis Haslem controlled the rebound and James made a 15-foot runner to seal the outcome.
It was the first time James had gone against his former coach in Cleveland, Lakers' boss Mike Brown. At the Lakers' shootaround practice Thursday. Brown said he and James had not spoken in advance of this game and didn't know if they would - but James made sure they did, running over to the Los Angeles bench and grabbing his former coach for a long embrace and a few words.
Brown was asked before the game if going against James would bring out sentimental memories of their time in Cleveland together.
"I had a great time coaching LeBron," Brown said. "I wouldn't be in this suit if it wasn't for him."
Dallas Mavericks assistant coach Darrell Armstrong has been arrested in Los Angeles County on a warrant alleging an unpaid $37,500 debt at a Las Vegas casino.
Documents obtained Thursday by the Associated Press accuse the 43-year-old Armstrong of passing a bad check and theft stemming from casino markers, or IOUs, last June at Harrah's Las Vegas Hotel and Casino.
Armstrong was arrested early Tuesday morning and freed Wednesday afternoon on $40,000 bail. Los Angeles sheriff's officials said Armstrong was a passenger in a vehicle stopped for a traffic violation in Marina Del Rey when deputies noticed there was a warrant for his arrest.
Mavericks spokeswoman Sarah Melton said that Armstrong was with the team and that she had no other information. It was unclear whether Armstrong had a lawyer.
The Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday signed all-star point guard Russell Westbrook to a multiyear contract extension that will likely keep him teamed with fellow all-star Kevin Durant for the next several years.
SI.com reported that the deal was for five years and $80 million.
Westbrook was set to become a restricted free agent at the end of the season, meaning the Thunder would have had to match any offer he received from another team. Instead, they locked him up with a new deal 15 games into this season. Terms were not disclosed.
Oklahoma City has the best record in the Western Conference, with Westbrook averaging 20.5 points, 5.5 assists, and 5.0 rebounds. He was chosen as an all-star for the first time last season.
- Inquirer wire services
