DPA/Los Angeles

 

The red-hot Miami Heat continued its historic ride into the NBA record books.

LeBron James had 22 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists, Ray Allen fired in 16 of his 20 points in the final quarter, and the Heat pulled away for its 22nd consecutive victory, 108-91 over the Toronto Raptors on Sunday.

Miami matched the 2007-08 Houston Rockets for the second-longest winning streak in league history, though it is still a way off the all-time mark of 33 owned by the 1971-72 LA Lakers. “This is a special team and it’s a special ride we’re on right now,” James said. “The best thing about it is we’re doing it together, we’re doing it for one another.

“We’re excited about today’s win and we just want to keep it going.”

The defending NBA Champion look to move into sole possession of second Monday, when they visit the Boston Celtics, who snapped the Rockets’ run on March 18, 2008 and own an 11-game win streak at TD Garden.

The Celtics have also taken the last 10 home decisions against the Heat.

“It’s a big moment but we don’t care if its the Celtics and its one of the really good rivalries in the NBA,” said Heat forward Shane Battier, who was member of that Rockets squad. “They’ve played us well, and the Garden will be rocking like it always is.

“It’s the toughest challenge for us since the streak began but we’ll be ready.”

Dwyane Wade had 24 points, and Chris Bosh added 18 against his former team for Miami (51-14) which outscored its hosts 32-18 in the final frame en route to a 10th consecutive road victory.

After leading by 13, the Heat watched the Raptors go on a 16-3 run, bridging the third and fourth quarters to knot the contest at 77-77.

Led by Allen, the Heat responded in a big way. The veteran sharpshooter netted 16 points, including four triples in a game-breaking 28-4 spurt, and Miami won again in Toronto where it all began on February 3.

“Those are what we feared for so many years from Ray when he was with Boston because he can turn the game around like that with three or four threes in a row,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “That’s what he was able to do.”

“We moved the ball in the fourth quarter and I was ready for the shot,” Allen said.”

Rudy Gay scored 27, Amir Johnson had 18 with 18 rebounds for the Raptors, who lost their 11th straight meeting in the series.

Elsewhere:

♦ LA Clippers 93, New York Knicks 80: Chris Paul scored 20 points.

Blake Griffin added 12 with 12 rebounds, and the host Clippers cruised past the injury-depleted Knicks for their seventh win in the last 10 games.

JR Smith scored 17 for the Knicks, who fell to 0-4 on their five-game road trip without knee-injured All-Stars Carmelo Anthony and Tyson Chandler.

♦ Atlanta Hawks 105, Brooklyn Nets 93: Al Horford had 22 points and 11 rebounds, Jeff Teague added 11 points with 15 assists, and the visiting Hawks closed on a 19-6 run to keep the Nets from moving into first-place Atlantic Division tie with New York.