LOS ANGELES: LeBron James and Dwyane Wade put on a show Wednesday to help Miami hold off the depleted but dogged Los Angeles Lakers for a 101-95 Christmas NBA victory.

The two-time defending champion Heat were heavy favorites in the holiday matchup against a Lakers team beset by injuries — including the broken bone in superstar Kobe Bryant’s left knee.

Bryant’s absence robbed the contest of some of its marquee value, but the 35-year-old star said before the game that he had every confidence he’d be back this season.

“The spirits are fine,” said Bryant, who had played in just six games this season after returning from a torn left Achilles tendon suffered last April.

The Lakers, losers of their last two contests, managed to stick with the Heat for much of the game, which was tied 83-83 with 8:25 remaining.

But the Heat authored a 9-0 scoring run to take control for good.

“You can’t ever underestimate teams like that, that have been counted out because of all the injuries but have found a way to win,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “That shows a grittiness, that you’re going to have to earn it.”

Wade and Chris Bosh both scored 23 points for the Heat. Wade added seven assists and six rebounds and Bosh pulled down 11 rebounds.

James’s 19 points were relatively modest by his standards, but included a couple of thrilling alley-oop dunks with assists from Wade.

The first, with 3:54 remaining in the opening quarter, saw Wade toss a no-look pass to a charging James who slammed it home with his right hand.

Even more dazzling was their combination that began with Wade’s one-handed pass off the backboard that a flying James snagged with his left hand and thrust through the basket.

“I was just trying to chase it down,” James said. “I had no idea what he was going to do. It went off the glass and the only way I could get it was with my left hand.”

James might have been inspired by his young sons — 6-year-old Bryce and 9-year-old Bronny. He posted Instagram video Wednesday morning of the boys combining for an ally-oop dunk on a toy hoop in their Los Angeles hotel.

While James made the road trip a family affair, the Heat were disappointed that their status as defending champions hadn’t earned them a home game on the holiday.

“We talked to the league about that already,” Wade said.

Thunder roll over Anthony-less Knicks

In New York, Kevin Durant scored 29 points, Russell Westbrook had a triple-double by the middle of the third quarter, and the Oklahoma City Thunder rolled to a 123-94 victory Wednesday over the New York Knicks, who played without Carmelo Anthony.

The Durant-Anthony showdown between the NBA’s top two scorers was canceled because of Anthony’s sprained left ankle, so the Thunder had the Christmas spotlight all to themselves while winning for the 10th time in 11 games.

Westbrook finished with 14 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists in his first triple-double of the season and seventh of his career. Serge Ibaka added 24 points on 10-of-14 shooting.

Amare Stoudemire scored a season-high 22 points, and Tim Hardaway Jr. had 21 for the Knicks, who also were missing starting point guard Raymond Felton. J.R. Smith scored 20 points, but shot 8 for 22 and was booed when he left the court for good.

Warriors beat Clippers on testy Christmas night

In Oakland, California, Klay Thompson blocked a shot by Chris Paul with 1 second left then contested Jamal Crawford’s 3-pointer that fell short at the final buzzer, and the Golden State Warriors held off the Los Angeles Clippers 105-103 in a game that featured a pair of ejections on Wednesday.

Paul’s lay-in with 11.9 seconds left went around the rim and out, but Andre Iguodala missed a pair of free throws with 9.3 seconds remaining. That gave the Clippers the ball back with 8.3 seconds to go.

Stephen Curry overcame a slow start to score seven of his 15 points over the final 3:01 to go with 11 assists as Golden State snapped the Pacific Division-leading Clippers’ season-best five-game winning streak.

Blake Griffin was ejected for his second technical with 10:43 remaining after scuffling with Andrew Bogut, following Golden State’s Draymond Green to the showers after they got into it at the end of the third. Green was tossed for a flagrant 2 foul.