The Miami Heat are looking to win their ninth game in a row, with the previous eight victories all coming by double digits. There's still 24 minutes of basketball left in Portland on Thursday night, but they appear to be well on their way to another impressive victory. The first half was yet another dynamic offensive show, with All-Stars LeBron James and Dwyane wade scoring 41 of the Heat's 60 first half points. On the defensive end, Miami held the Trail Blazers to just 42 points for an 18-point lead heading into the locker room.
Wade is nine of 14 from the field for 22 points, racing up-and-down the floor with James to set the pace of the game yet again. James has been extremely efficient from the floor, hitting of seven of ten attempts for 19 points. His shooting percentage continues to be bolstered by the ability to consistently get buckets at the rim and on the break. Playing without Chris Bosh who is away for personal reasons, James and Wade will need to continue the contributions in the second half to keep Miami's double digit lead in-tact.
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