Bosh finished with 18 points and Wade added 17, both getting most of them in Miami’s dominant first half before sitting out the fourth quarter. James played a little of the final period and added seven rebounds and seven assists.

It was the most impressive offensive performance yet for the Heat, who have won three straight since beginning their new era with a loss in Boston on opening night. Miami shot 68 percent in the first half, when its Big Three combined for 41 points — one fewer than New Jersey — and the stats only lowered when the reserves took over toward the end.

Mavericks 99  Clippers 83: In Los Angeles, Jason Kidd ended the first half with a 65-foot shot-put heave from inside the 3-point arc at the opposite end, Caron Butler scored 17 points and Shawn Marion had 10 of his 12 points in the fourth quarter, leading Dallas past the Los Angeles Clippers.

Dirk Nowitzki added 16 points and seven rebounds for the defending Southwest Division champions in their first road game of the season. Kidd finished with 13 points, nine rebounds and seven assists.

Rookie Blake Griffin had 16 points and nine rebounds for the Clippers, who missed 14 of their first 16 shots and finished at 34 percent while falling to 0-3 on the season under new coach Vinny Del Negro. None of the starters reached double digits until Griffin converted a slam dunk with 5:32 left in the third quarter.

Jazz 120  Thunder 99: In Oklahoma City, Paul Millsap had 30 points and 16 rebounds, Deron Williams added 16 points and 15 assists and Utah avoided matching its worst start in 31 years.

Al Jefferson notched his first double-double since joining the Jazz in an offseason trading, putting up 23 points and 10 rebounds.

The Jazz haven’t started 0-3 since the 1979-80 season, the franchise’s first in Utah. Instead, they snapped Oklahoma City’s season opening two-game win streak behind a strong push in the middle of the game when they outscored the Thunder 40-13.

Kevin Durant led Oklahoma City with 28 points and Russell Westbrook scored 22.

Lakers 107 Warriors 83: In Los Angeles, Pau Gasol had 26 points and 12 rebounds, Kobe Bryant added 20 points and the Los Angeles Lakers kept up their unbeaten start.

Lamar Odom had 16 points and 14 rebounds for the Lakers, who easily improved to 3-0 with their 10th consecutive win over their upstate rivals.

Los Angeles outrebounded Golden State 55-42 and held a comfortable double-digit lead throughout the second half, with the Lakers’ starters continually outrunning the Warriors at their own uptempo game.

Monta Ellis scored 20 points for the Warriors, whose first loss ended their first 2-0 start in 16 years. Golden State played without guard Stephen Curry , who aggravated his sprained right ankle Friday.
 
Ex-Blazers star Maurice Lucas dead at 58 

Meantime,  Maurice Lucas, the fierce power forward known as “The Enforcer” who helped lead the Portland Trail Blazers to the 1977 NBA title, has died after a long fight with bladder cancer. He was 58.

Lucas, who in later years was an assistant coach with the Blazers, died Sunday at his home in Portland, the team said.

Lucas joined Portland in the 1976 ABA dispersal draft and averaged a team-high 20.2 points and grabbbed 11.2 rebounds per game in the 1976-77 championship season. His No. 20 was retired by the Blazers in 1988.

At public appearances, fans often greeted Lucas with cries of “Luuuuuuke!” His competitive demeanor on the court was in contrast to his gentle nature off it.

“We have lost a champion of a man,” Trail Blazers coach Nate McMillan said in a statement. “Maurice was a great man and a great friend. He battled his illness like the warrior he was on the basketball court.” Lucas served as an assistant coach with the Blazers for six seasons, but last year he left the team to undergo surgery before suffering a setback last November. He did not return to coaching this season.

The former Marquette player averaged 14.4 points and 8.8 rebounds in 12 NBA seasons with Portland, New Jersey, New York, Phoenix, the Los Angeles Lakers and Seattle. In two seasons in the ABA with St. Louis and Kentucky, he averaged 15.2 points and 10.8 rebounds.

He was a five-time All-Star.

Trail Blazers owner Paul Allen also praised Lucas in a statement released late Sunday night.

“Maurice Lucas was an amazing man and I count myself lucky to have known him. We all — players, coaches, the owner and the fans — were made better by having Maurice a part of our team, whether playing on the championship team or, most recently as an assistant coach.

“He was one of the greatest Blazers ever.” Prior to last season, an interview with Lucas was posted on the Trail Blazers’ official website, covering topics including his health, his work with center Greg Oden and the team’s 40th anniversary.

Lucas is survived by wife Pamela, sons David and Maurice II and daughter Kristin. Funeral arrangements were yet to be determined.