The Miami Heat survived a 35-minute delay to fix a leaky scoreboard canister, a 27-point third-quarter deficit, a fan running onto the court during their rally and a gutty Cavaliers comeback on Wednesday night at The Q.
Overcoming all that, the Heat beat the short-handed Cavs, 98-95, to push their winning streak to 24 games before a roaring — and exhausted — sell-out crowd of 20,562.
It might not have been the biggest win in the streak, or the closest, but it definitely was the weirdest.
“This was one of the most bizzare, unique days of my life as far as basketball,” the Heat’s LeBron James said.
James, in his fourth trip back to The Q since leaving the Cavs, led the Heat with his fourth triple double of the season and the 36th of his career — 25 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists — as Miami improved to 53-14. As has become customary, he was booed every time he touched the ball, but this time there also seemed to be plenty of fans cheering for him and the Heat.
Wayne Ellington led the Cavs with 20 points, seven rebounds and four assists. Tristan Thompson added 18 points and eight rebounds and rookie Tyler Zeller had 12 points and 11 rebounds as Cleveland, playing without injured Kyrie Irving (shoulder) and Dion Waiters (knee), fell to 22-46 while surrendering the biggest lead in franchise history. The Cavs also have blown leads of 26 points (at Phoenix on Nov. 9) and 22 points (against New York on March 4) this season.
“It’s tough to swallow,” Thompson admitted.
Trailing in the third quarter, 67-40, the Heat closed the third quarter on a 28-10 run and opened the fourth with a 20-4 surge. James had 11 of the Heat’s first 12 points in the fourth quarter — on three 3-pointers and a layup when he picked up a loose rebound in the lane — to give Miami its first lead since the first quarter, 80-79, with 10:28 left.
“What happened there in the third quarter to get back into it, it wasn’t even necessarily designed offense,” Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said. “It was just those guys being great, making big shots.”
That no doubt was part of what prompted a fan to run onto the court wearing a T-shirt that read, “We miss you. 2014 come back.” Security officers surrounded the fan and escorted him off the court with 8:21 left in the game — but not before James patted him on the head.
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