NBA Wrap: LeBron James leaves Miami with a loss, Westbrook stars for Thunder, Wizards down Knicks

SAN Antonio’s Aron Baynes was busy in a brief appearance on a mixed day for Australians in the NBA.

MIAMI, FL - DECEMBER 25: LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers shoots a foul shot during a game against the Miami Heat at American Airlines Arena on December 25, 2014 in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory copyright notice: Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images/AFP == FOR NEWSPAPERS, INTERNET, TELCOS & TELEVISION USE ONLY ==

SAN Antonio’s Aron Baynes was busy in a brief appearance on a mixed day for Australians in the NBA.

AUSSIES IN ACTION

Baynes registered six points, four rebounds and an assist in 11:03 minutes during the San Antonio Spurs’ 114-106 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Spurs were +14 when Baynes was on court. He shot three-from-five from the field.

Matthew Dellavedova managed a steal and two rebounds in 15:16 minutes. He was held scoreless on zero-for-two shooting as the Cleveland Cavaliers fell 101-91 to the Miami Heat.

Cameron Bairstow registered a rebound in 50 seconds on court during the Chicago Bulls’ 113-93 win over the Los Angeles Lakers. Andrew Bogut continued his injury-enforced absence. He was not present for Golden State Warriors’ 100-86 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers.

HEAT 101 - CAVALIERS 91

Dwyane Wade scored 24 of his 31 points in the first half, Luol Deng finished with 25 points, eight rebounds and eight assists, and the Miami Heat beat the Cleveland Cavaliers in LeBron James’ first game back at his former home 101-91 on Thursday.

Chris Andersen scored 12 for the Heat, who led by as many as 17, trailed for a moment in the fourth quarter before gathering themselves and pulling away again.

Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade shoots over Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James.

James scored 30 points for the Cavaliers, hugging his former teammates before the game and after the final buzzer. It was James’ first time as an opponent in Miami since helping the Heat reach each of the last four NBA Finals, winning two titles.

Kyrie Irving added 25 points, and Kevin Love scored 14 for Cleveland.

Miami was again without Chris Bosh, still sidelined by a calf injury.

James and Wade shared a long embrace before the game, then were chatting and laughing as they waited for the second half to start. They even had another conversation before leaving the floor once the game was over.

In the end, only Wade left with what each wanted most — a win.

Wade missed nine straight shots in the second half, going from sizzling to icy. Back-court mate Mario Chalmers finished just 2 for 12 from the floor.

It didn’t matter.

A Heat team that has struggled at home all season found a way.

Nonetheless, Miami held onto the lead, sans for one moment after a dunk by James in transition with 11:20 left. After that slam put Cleveland up 78-77, he got a technical foul for hanging on the rim a bit too long — so that lead lasted exactly zero seconds.

LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers is introduced during a game against the Miami Heat.

Wade made a free throw after the technical, tying the game again.

The Cavs lost their two best players briefly in the second half.

James went to the locker room, limping on his left leg in the third quarter. He leapfrogged a row of baseline seats while trying to run down a 75-foot pass from Love, landing on his feet and not appearing to be injured.

Moments later, he grabbed at what appeared to be the area behind his left knee, asked to come out of the game and limped to the locker room. He returned quickly, but the Cavs also lost Irving for a few moments after he took what appeared to be a shot to the face.

There were people in the stands wearing James jerseys of all varieties — his high school one, several versions of his Heat ones, and some with the current gold model. Others wore T-shirts with some of his Nike-inspired slogans, and a few with the wording “Don’t Hate The King” and his No. 23 on the back were also spotted.

James drives on Luol Deng #9 of the Miami Heat.

THUNDER 114 - SPURS 106

Russell Westbrook scored 34 points, and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the San Antonio Spurs 114-106 on Thursday in a fiery rematch of last season’s Western Conference Finals.

The Thunder earned their fifth straight regular-season meeting over the defending NBA champions in the first meeting between the teams since San Antonio topped Oklahoma City in six games on the way to a fifth title.

The Thunder were without reigning MVP Kevin Durant, and the Spurs were missing Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard, but there was still plenty of firepower.

Serge Ibaka had 21 points, including going 3 for 4 on 3-pointers for Oklahoma City (14-16). Steven Adams added 16 points and 15 rebounds to offset San Antonio centre Tiago Splitter matching his season-high with 14 points.

Matt Bonner had 17 points to lead seven players in double figures for San Antonio (18-12), which has lost five of six.

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook, right, shoots over San Antonio Spurs guard Cory Joseph.

WIZARDS 102 - KNICKS 91

Washington Wizards guard John Wall (2) goes up for a layup.

John Wall had 24 points and 11 assists, eluding the Knicks all day until getting knocked to the floor by a flagrant foul that sparked an altercation, and the Washington Wizards beat New York 102-91 on Thursday.

Wall toyed with the Knicks for 3 1/2 quarters, highlighted by a spinning, 360-degree layup, before Quincy Acy knocked him down with a forearm shove with 5:31 to play. Wall got up and pushed Acy, who responded with a punch that appeared to hit Wall behind the neck. Acy was ejected in the Christmas Day dust-up, and Wall received a technical foul.

Bradley Beal added 17 points for the Wizards, who had their top five of Wall, Beal, Paul Pierce, Nene and Marcin Gortat in the starting line-up for the first time this season.

Carmelo Anthony scored 34 points for the Knicks, who fell to 5-26 and have the most losses in the NBA. They have dropped six straight and 16 of 17.

Washington had a comfortable lead most of the game, though the Knicks were on a bit of a run before Acy’s foul. The Wizards avoided their first three-game losing streak of the season.

They have won five in a row against the hapless Knicks, who had Amar’e Stoudemire back in the line-up after he missed two games. J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert remained out.

BULLS 113 - LAKERS 93

Pau Gasol had 23 points and 13 rebounds against his former team and the Chicago Bulls beat Los Angeles 113-93 on Thursday night with Lakers star Kobe Bryant resting his sore body.

Jimmy Butler added 21 points, and Derrick Rose had 20 points and six assists to help the Bulls win their season-high fifth straight.

With Bryant missing his second straight game, the Lakers were unable to pull off another upset. They stunned Golden State on Tuesday night but came up short against the Central division leaders.

The Bulls hung on after a 16-point second-quarter lead dwindled to two in the third. They pulled away in the fourth, sending the Lakers to their fourth loss in five games.

Gasol, a two-time champion in six-plus seasons with the Lakers, was 9 of 14 from the field in his first game against Los Angeles since joining the Bulls in the summer.

Jimmy Butleris defended by Jordan Hill of the Los Angeles Lakers.

CLIPPERS 100 - WARRIORS 86

Jamal Crawford scored 12 of his 24 points in the fourth quarter, Chris Paul added 22 points, and the Los Angeles Clippers handed the NBA-leading Golden State Warriors their second loss at Staples Center in three days with a 100-86 victory Thursday night.

The Warriors held the Clippers to 4-for-24 shooting in the first quarter and 39.1 percent for the game, two nights after the Lakers shot 51.7 percent without Kobe Bryant to beat them 115-105. That loss ended a streak of 27 straight games by the Warriors in which they held opponents under 50 percent.

The Clippers, beginning a nine-game homestand after back-to-back losses to San Antonio and Atlanta, haven’t dropped three in a row since March 29-April 1, 2013. Blake Griffin missed his first eight shots and was 5 for 16 overall with 18 points and 15 rebounds. DeAndre Jordan had 14 points and 12 boards.

Klay Thompson scored 15 points, and Stephen Curry 14 for Golden State, which has lost three of five following a 23-3 start that included a franchise-record 16-game winning streak.

The Warriors, who finished second behind the Clippers in the Pacific Division the last two seasons, still lead them by four games in the standings. Center Andrew Bogut missed his eighth straight game because of an injured right knee.

Jamal Crawford shoots a jump shot in the first half against the Golden State Warriors.

Originally published as NBA Wrap: LeBron James leaves Miami with a loss, Westbrook stars for Thunder, Wizards down Knicks