MIAMI -- Wearing a mask to protect a broken nose he suffered last February 20 against the Thunder in Oklahoma, LeBron James returned from a week's layoff and played like he never left.
The reigning league MVP logged 31 points, four rebounds and four assists and the Miami Heat plowed through the New York Knicks, 108-82. It was just another day in the office for James, who made an efficient 13 of 19 field goals in 36 minutes and 38 seconds of play.
After a close first half, where the Knicks hung around 55-50, the Heat blew the game wide open with a 32-14 third quarter. The battered Knicks, losers of four straight, trailed by as many as 29 and dropped to 21-37 in the overall standings.
No thanks to the one-sided beating, much of the post-game chatter revolved around LeBron's mask, which drew comparisons to super heroes.
"It went with the uniform. We were wearing throwback black. I was able to get a carbon-fiber (mask), which is actually lighter than the one I'd been wearing in practice. It came through at the last minute and I went with it," James told NBA.com.
If LeBron looked like Batman with his mask, his sidekick, Dwyane Wade, played like Robin, spewing 23 points in a supporting role. Norris Cole, Mario Chalmers and Ray Allen each had 11 points and the Heat made 45 of 74 percent field goals, a high 60.8 percent.
Carmelo Anthony led the Knicks with 29 while Tyson Chander had a workmanlike 19 and 16 rebounds. J.R. Smith registered 11 but New York converted only 31 of 83 shots (37.3 percent) and the Knicks also missed 19 of their 23 3-point attempts.
Winners of six straight, the Heat improved to 41-14, two games behind the 44-13 Indiana Pacers for the best record in the NBA.
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