MIAMI -- No Udonis Haslem and no Ray Allen for a second straight game.
No problem for the Miami Heat.
LeBron James had a season-high 39 points, six rebounds and four assists to lead the Heat to 110-104 victory against the Dallas Mavericks on Friday night at AmericanAirlines Arena. It was Miami's fifth win in six games, the only loss in that span being to Boston on Jeff Green's buzzer-beating 3-pointer.
Haslem (back spasms) missed his third straight game, and Allen (ill) did not play for the second in a row for the Heat (6-3).
The Heat and Mavericks met in the NBA Finals just 2 1/2 years ago when Dallas won the title. However, Dirk Nowitzki and Shawn Marion basically are the ones remaining from that team's core players.
Since then, Miami had won four straight meetings by an average of 14.3 points heading into Friday's game.
Miami point guard Mario Chalmers was ejected with 5:01 left in the fourth quarter for a flagrant foul on Nowitzki. But Norris Cole (11 points, one rebound) stepped in and continued his strong performance.
Heat reserves Rashard Lewis (11 points, 3 of 5 from 3-point territory) and Chris "Birdman" Andersen (seven rebounds, 4 points) played big minutes.
Heat went small early in the second quarter, with Dwyane Wade, Michael Beasley, Lewis, Andersen and Cole. The unit turned a one-point deficit into an 8-point lead 7:16 before intermission. Dallas got no closer than 7 points the rest of the first half.
But the Mavs fought back to get within a point with 2:31 left, but the Heat held on.
With Miami clinging to a 100-99 edge, James hit a fall away jumper with 2:06 left to give Miami a three-point lead. On the Mavs' next possession, a loose ball resulted in a jump ball -- won by the Heat.
After a foul by Dallas' DeJuan Blair, Wade missed two free throws. But Monta Ellis missed 25-foot 3-point try, and Blair fouled Chris Bosh, who sank both free throws for a 104-99 lead with :59 showing.
James, who had his second straight 30-point effort. He had 33 in Tuesday night's win against Milwaukee. He also had 35 at Toronto on Nov. 5.
James shot 14 of 18, which included a missed layup and a bank shot that went in and out -- late in the fourth quarter.
The Heat will play the Bobcats at Charlotte 7 p.m. Saturday.
Charlie McCarthy can be reached at mac1763@bellsouth.net or on Twitter @mccarthy_chas.
