Heat prove too hot for visiting Bucks

GIVE IT BACK: Jeremy Lin (centre) of Houston Rockets tries to move past Kendrick Perkins (left) and Russell Westbrook of Oklahoma City Thunder during the opening game of their Western Conference playoff, in Oklahoma on Sunday. Thunder won 120-91 to take a one-game lead in the best-of-seven series. (AFP)

DPA/Los Angeles LeBron James was locked in and loaded as the Miami Heat opened defence of their NBA crown with a beat-down. James had 27 points with 10 rebounds and eight assists on Sunday, as Heat routed the visiting Milwaukee Bucks 110-87 in game one of their Eastern Conference first-round playoff series. “I was mentally sharp preparing for this game,” James said. “I’m setting the bar too high for myself coming out here shooting 9-for-11, but I’m just comfortable playing my game because we have so many threats on the floor who can make plays.” Reserve Ray Allen netted 20, Dwyane Wade had 16, Chris Bosh added 15 while backup Chris Andersen contributed 10 for top-seeded Miami, which shot a sizzling 56 per cent from the floor in the lopsided win. “It’s a great way to start the series,” Bosh said. “They’re a feisty team over there.” Brandon Jennings scored 26 points, and Monta Ellis added 22 for the Bucks, who were victimised by James. “Obviously incredibly efficient,” Bucks coach Jim Boylan said of the league most valuable player’s performance. “When you have a game like that what can you do? He’s the best player on the planet, right now.” Despite 18 points by Jennings, the Heat led by seven at intermission before outscoring the Bucks 58-42 in the dominant second-half to break open the open. “In the second half, they came out and we had no answers for them,” Jennings said. The Heat quickly opened up a 15-point cushion on James’ three-point play. After the lead was trimmed to eight, James took control with a dunk and assisted on the first of Andersen’s back-to-back slams to take an 80-65 cushion into the final frame en route to the runaway win. “The first game is over with,” Jennings said. “Now that we know what they’re about we just need to play. We shouldn’t be scared, we’ve got nothing to lose, so let’s just hoop.” Miami host game two today in the best-of-seven series. In the Western Conference, Argentine ace Manu Ginobili scored 10 of 18 points off the bench in the third quarter, sparking the Spurs over the visiting Lakers minus injured star Kobe Bryant to take the opener of their first-round playoff series 91-79.With the Spurs ahead by seven late in the third quarter, Ginobili fired in eight points, including a pair of triples in the final 90 seconds, opening up a 70-57 cushion heading into the final frame and were never threatened en route to the win. “The end of the first quarter and third used to be my moments but I know I’m not in my best shape physically and mentally basketball- wise,” said Ginobili, coming off a hamstring injury. “I seek my moment, so it was one of those times.” Frenchman Tony Parker had 18 points with eight assists, while Tim Duncan contributed 17 points and 10 rebounds for the second-seeded but recently struggling Spurs, who turned in one of their best defensive efforts. “The defence was the best we’ve played in the last three or four weeks,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said.