The Miami Heat really needed to finish their road back-to-back situation successfully on Saturday night to validate the previous evening's victory.
Mission accomplished.
The Heat avoided a fourth loss in five games and instead earned a second straight win by defeating the Charlotte Bobcats 104-96 in overtime at Time Warner Cable Arena on Saturday.
Miami had snapped a three-game losing streak with an impressive win at Philadelphia on Friday night.
LeBron James had 34 points, eight rebounds and six assists to lead the Heat (29-11) past the Bobcats (17-25), who lost star guard Kemba Walker to a sprained ankle in the third quarter.
Chris Bosh added 25 points and seven rebounds. It was the first time as a member of the Heat that Bosh had hit the 25-point plateau in three straight games.
Charlotte scored 60 first-half points but only 30 in the third and fourth quarters combined as the Heat picked up their game defensively.
Ray Allen started for Dwyane Wade, who rested his sore knees. Allen scored 12 points and had a season-high nine rebounds.
Udonis Haslem left the bench to score six points and grab 10 rebounds in 30 minutes, 48 seconds.
Allen, who has been mired in a January shooting slump, was 5 of 11 overall and 1 of 5 from 3-point range. He's 4 of 34 from 3-point territory in the past nine games.
The Heat prevailed despite struggling (19 of 29, 65.5 percent) from the free-throw line.
Miami trailed 60-53 at halftime despite shooting 60 percent in the first half. Charlotte outscored the Heat in the paint 34-20.
Greg Oden, who Wednesday at Washington played in his first NBA game in more than four years, entered with 6:25 left in the half. He had a point in 4:52 and did not play in the second half.
THE TURNING POINT
Mario Chalmers' block from behind on Al Jefferson with 1:45 left in OT led to a James bucket that gave Miami a five-point lead. Chalmers then had a steal with 51.8 seconds remaining that also resulted in a James basket that built a 102-96 cushion with 36.4 seconds left.
THE DIFFERENCE MAKER
King James saved his best for late, scoring eight points in the fourth quarter and six in overtime.
STAT OF THE GAME
Miami outrebounded Charlotte 43-34.
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WHAT'S NEXT
The Heat play the sixth and final game of a road string when they visit the Atlanta Hawks on Monday at 5:30 p.m.
You can follow Charlie McCarthy on Twitter @mccarthy_chas or email him at mac1763@bellsouth.net.
