Celts beat Heat, 88-80, despite 31 from James
BOSTON – LeBron James and the Miami Heat were showered with chants of “overrated!” They sure looked that way in their debut as a team formed to win a championship.
The old Big Three of the Boston Celtics, playing under the franchise’s 17 title banners, beat the new Big Three of James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh 88-80 on Tuesday night.
The Heat, though, knew it would take time to jell.
“It’s a feel-out process,” James said. “When you have so many options, it’s something I’m not accustomed to, having that many threats out on the court at the same time.”
Celtics coach Doc Rivers is convinced the Heat will progress into a title contender.
“They’re going to be great,” he said.
Not yet, though. Wade and Bosh weren’t even all that good on opening night.
Wade was limited to 13 points on 4-of-16 shooting and Bosh added eight points and eight rebounds. The trio combined for 15 of the Heat’s 17 turnovers — eight by James, six by Wade and one by Bosh. And Miami was outscored 16-9 in the first quarter.
“This is one of 82,” said Wade, whose preseason action was limited to the first three minutes because of a strained right hamstring. “Sorry if everyone thought we were going to go 82 and 0. It just ain’t happening.”
Batum leads Portland over Phoenix, 106-92
PORTLAND, Ore. – Nicolas Batum scored 19 points, making three 3-pointers down the stretch, and had 11 rebounds to lead the Portland Trail Blazers to a 106-92 season-opening victory over the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday night.
Brandon Roy scored 24 points for the Blazers, who fell to the Suns in the first round of the playoffs last season.
Steve Nash had 26 points for the Suns, who trailed most of the first half before going ahead in the third quarter. Nash’s turnaround jumper pushed the lead to 76-71.
Portland tied it at 86 on rookie Armon Johnson’s jumper with 8:15 to go. After Andre Miller’s 19-foot jumper, Batum hit a 3-pointer and a pull-up jumper to make it 97-91 with 3:14 left.
Batum added two more 3-pointers, including his final one with 22.9 seconds left.
The Suns and Nash no longer have power forward Amare Stoudemire, who joined the New York Knicks as a free agent in the offseason.
Stoudemire averaged 23.3 points, partnering with Nash on the pick-and-roll that was the Suns’ signature. And it was clear the Suns are still adjusting.
“You’ll see a lot of things in the next month from us until we get things figured out,” coach Alvin Gentry said before the game.
The Blazers led by as many as seven points in the first half, but the Suns closed the gap late to make it 50-46 at the break. Jason Richardson had 13 first-half points for Phoenix while Roy had 13 for Portland.
Lakers rally past Rockets, 112-110, in opener
LOS ANGELES – Kobe Bryant scored 27 points, newcomer Steve Blake hit the go-ahead 3-pointer with 18.8 seconds left, and the Los Angeles Lakers opened defense of their back-to-back NBA titles with a 112-110 victory over the Houston Rockets on Tuesday night.
Pau Gasol had 29 points and 11 rebounds for the Lakers, who hung the golden banner celebrating their 16th NBA championship and handed out their impossibly gaudy rings in a heartfelt pregame ceremony.
The champs then fell behind by 15 points before rallying for a fourth-quarter lead behind Shannon Brown’s 3-point barrage. The clubs traded the lead four times in the final minute, but Houston’s Luis Scola missed a difficult scoop shot with 3 seconds left, and Aaron Brooks’ layup attempt at the buzzer apparently was blocked by Lamar Odom.
