Heat no match for LeBron and Cavaliers

CLEVELAND - As the nine-point lead the Heat carried into the fourth quarter began to dwindle, it became apparent what the difference was between Dwyane Wade and LeBron James:

Their teammates.

With James surrounded by the strongest support system in his six seasons, the Cavaliers' forward played to the strengths of others Sunday night after keeping his team afloat early in what turned into a 93-86 Cleveland victory.

"They turned it up, and we didn't respond," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "They've showed great vision with this team."

While James finished with 33 points, nine assists and six rebounds, this was about what he didn't do at the end, or, more to the point, didn't have to do.

Instead of continuing to rely on his atypical long-range success, James instead found guards Delonte West and Mo Williams for open jumpers that methodically beat down the Heat.

"As a team, we've grown," James said. "We've been in a lot of big games."

Wade, by contrast, found no similar support system, instead putting up two desperation 3-pointers in the final minute, only one of which even drew iron.

"We didn't earn it," Wade said. "It's a game you learn from." While Wade finished with 29 points, eight assists and four rebounds, James took personal responsibility of making sure there would be no repeat of Wade's 14-point third quarter by putting the defensive assignment upon himself in the final period.

"You just try to stay in front of him as much as possible," said James, with Wade held to six points in the fourth. "It is not like I'm out there doing it by myself. I have to take the challenge as an individual. I believe in myself and I definitely believe in our team."

Perhaps Tuesday, when the teams meet again at AmericanAirlines Arena, there will be 48 minutes of sustained perseverance from the Heat instead of Sunday's 40.

"We've got to protect homecourt like they just did," Wade said.

At Quicken Loan Arena, the Cavaliers have been invincible, now 16-0 at home.