MIAMI -- They are two natural scorers being asked to do different things for the Miami Heat.
LeBron James, one of the greatest players of all-time, is the leader of a team trying to three-peat as NBA champion.
Michael Beasley, in his second tour with the Heat, is being given the chance to continue his career by buying into a team-first philosophy and contributing when called on off the bench.
Each did his job exceptionally well on Tuesday night.
James scored 33 points through three quarters before becoming a spectator for the final period as the Heat coasted to a 118-95 victory against the Milwaukee Bucks.
Beasley, whose off-court issues earned a release from Phoenix in September, had 19 points in just less than 20 minutes that excited the home crowd.
"I love it," Beasley said of being an early-season fan favorite. "It's great to be wanted, to be genuinely loved, I hope. But at the same time I can't really listen to the fans ... no disrespect ... whether good or bad. I just need to keep working."
The man who averaged 19.2 points for Minnesota in 2010-11 didn't exactly arrive back in Miami with the reputation of being the consummate team player. Coach Erik Spoelstra and Miami's veterans have said repeatedly all Beasley needs to do is work hard and buy into the team's approach.
Before the game, James said he had taken Beasley under his wing.
"I'm staying on him to be him," James said. "We didn't bring him here to be a passer. Beas is a great scorer and that's what he does best. Obviously, we want him to continue to make the extra pass -- we don't want him to get in iso (isolation) situations. That's not how we play. But when he has an open look, we want him to go ahead."
Told James had indicated he figuratively had been keeping his foot on Beasley's neck, the former Kansas State star smiled and laughed.
"Yeah, he has a pretty strong foot," Beasley said. "For the best player of the game, arguably one of the best players in history, to embrace me so much, it feels great. I'm just going to keep working.
"I'm just trying to imitate everything he does, from the way he shoots his jump shot ... with my left hand ... to the way he's in here early lifting weights, to the way he wears socks. I'm just trying to imitate what he does. He has a blueprint and I'm just following behind him."
Did that mean headbands might be in Beasley's future?
"My head is kind of shaped funny and it's big," he said. "Maybe."
Both Beasley and James produced slams that were among the highlights against the Bucks.
Beasley converted a couple of alley-oop passes from Wade, and James jammed home an over-the-head pass from Mario Chalmers on a fastbreak.
The former connection developed during 2008-10, when Beasley played his first two NBA seasons with the Heat.
"I wanted to get him involved, I know how dynamic he is as a scorer, what he can bring to this team," said Wade, whose generosity resulted in him scoring 8 points on just seven shots. "We wanted to make sure we got him some touches, get him comfortable a little bit, because we're gong to need the guy."
Part of the reason Beasley was needed -- for only the third time this season -- was the absence of forward Udonis Haslem (back) and guard Ray Allen (ill) from the lineup.
With or without those two players, James' role always is pivotal.
The King, owner of a 27.5 career scoring average, had 17 points in the third quarter as Miami outscored Milwaukee 28-17 to build an 84-62 cushion.
The easy victory was much-needed, as Miami was trying to work on its struggling defense and also erase a loss at the buzzer to Boston on Saturday.
"It was good to play that type of basketball," James said. "We came out with a mindset to defend at a high level and we were able to execute."
If Miami is to contend for another NBA crown, stingy defense and a quality bench will be necessities.
Beasley, for one, said he will do what he can to assure another ring ceremony at AmericanAirlines Arena.
"It definitely left a taste in my mouth," said Beasley, who watched his teammate receive their championship rings on opening night. "I want one."
Charlie McCarthy can be reached at mac1763@bellsouth.net or on Twitter @mccarthy_chas.
