Miami Heat small forward LeBron James (centre) drives to the basket past Dallas Mavericks’ players during the game. (USA Today Sports)

DPA/Los Angeles



LeBron James didn’t let the All-Star break interrupt his rhythm to start the second half of the season. “King” James erupted for a season-high 42 points and the visiting Miami Heat pulled away to beat the Dallas Mavericks 117-106 Tuesday night.
James recorded his first 40-point game of the season and is averaging 38.3 points on 59 per cent field goal shooting in his last three outings.
“I’m in a zone right now, it’s a great feeling and I hope to continue it,” said James, who knocked down 16-of-23 floor shots along with nine rebounds and six assists. “Each game is different so I have to keep pushing forward and keep striving for greatness.”
James explained losing to Dallas in the 2011 NBA Finals gave the already great player the motivation to take his game to the next level.
“This team is a reason why I am the player I am today because when they beat us I went to a place I hadn’t been in a long time,” he said. “I went back to the fundamentals of the game. I went back to breaking down every aspect of my game to get better because I didn’t perform at the level I knew I could have or should have in those Finals.”
James delivered after re-entering the game when the Heat fell behind 95-92 following Vince Carter’s four-point play with 7 seven minutes 47 seconds remaining.
The four-time and reigning league MVP reeled off eight consecutive points, hitting back-to-back 3-pointers and a dunk, triggering a 14-0 run to put the Heat ahead 106-95 at the 3:20 mark en route to its sixth straight win in the series.
“At that point you’re just watching him make great plays,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “That one stretch gave us a lot of confidence going down the stretch.”
Chris Bosh scored 22 points, Chris Andersen added a season-high 18 off the bench for two-time defending NBA champions Miami, which shot a sizzling 57 per cent from the field but was dominated 50-28 on the glass for its sixth win in the last seven games.
“We say you can’t get pounded on the glass and then we get pounded,” Spoelstra added. German star Dirk Nowitzki had 22 points and Carter added 15 for the Mavericks, who fell victim to James.
“LeBron was great in all areas,” Dallas coach Rick Carlisle said.  “He’s great and we know he is a great. He scored a bundle of points against us in the first meeting and he was even better tonight.”
Elsewhere: Indiana Pacers 108, Atlanta Hawks 98: Paul George scored 26 points, David West had 17, and the East-best Pacers handed the visiting Hawks their sixth straight setback.
San Antonio Spurs 113, LA Clippers 103: Argentine ace Manu Ginobili returned with nine points off the bench after missing eight games because of left hamstring tightness.



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