LOS ANGELES (AP) - LeBron James had 27 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists while hitting a season-high five 3-pointers, and the Miami Heat thrived on the holiday stage in a 96-80 victory over Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday.
Chris Bosh had 24 points and 13 rebounds, Dwyane Wade added 18 points on a sore knee and the Heat won for the 14th time in 15 games, flustering the two-time defending champions into a terrible offensive performance.
Although both teams called this game a television curiosity rather than a potential NBA finals preview, it clearly meant something to James, who outplayed Bryant again in his second straight Christmas win at Staples Center. Bryant and Pau Gasol scored 17 points apiece for the Lakers.
Magic 86, Celtics 78
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) - Brandon Bass scored 21 points, Hedo Turkoglu added 16 and Orlando ended Boston's winning streak at 14 - two days after snapping San Antonio's 10-game run.
Jameer Nelson and J.J. Redick each made a jumper in the final minutes to help Orlando rally from 12 points down in the second half.
Kevin Garnett had 22 points, and Paul Pierce added 18 for the Celtics in their first loss since Nov. 21 at Toronto. Boston beat Orlando last season in the Eastern Conference finals.
Knicks 103, Bulls 95
NEW YORK (AP) - Amare Stoudemire and Raymond Felton each scored 20 points, and New York limited Chicago to two baskets in the first 10 minutes of the fourth quarter.
Wilson Chandler and Danilo Gallinari added 15 apiece for the Knicks, the NBA's highest-scoring team but 28th in defense. Stoudemire anchored the defensive effort, grabbing 10 rebounds and blocking six shots, and rookie Landry Fields finished with 14 points and 11 rebounds.
Carlos Boozer had 26 points and 19 rebounds for the Bulls, 9-2 in their last 11.
Thunder 114, Nuggets 106
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - NBA scoring leader Kevin Durant had a season-high 44 points - 21 in the third quarter - for Oklahoma City in the Thunder's first Christmas game
Durant was 14 of 20 from the field and raised his scoring average to 28.1. James Harden added 21 points, and Russell Westbrook added 19 for the Thunder.
Denver played for the second straight game without star Carmelo Anthony following his sister's death Wednesday. Chauncey Billups led the Nuggets with 30 points, and Nene had 21 points and 12 rebounds.