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.

Rockets 111, Spurs 98: James Harden returned to the starting lineup to score 28 points and lead the Houston Rockets to a comfortable win over the San Antonio Spurs.

Harden, who missed the last two games with a sprained left ankle, was 11-of-16 shooting in 31 minutes with 16 points in the fourth quarter.

Dwight Howard added 15 points and 20 rebounds for this 20th double-double this season and the Rockets (19-11) never trailed in the game.

Guard Manu Ginobili led the Spurs (22-7) with 22 points.

Thunder 123, Knicks 94: Russell Westbrook posted the eighth Christmas Day triple-double in NBA history with 14 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists as the Oklahoma City Thunder blasted the New York Knicks.

Thunder forward Kevin Durant led all scorers with 29 points and Oklahoma City (23-5) has won 10 of its last 11 games and shares the best record in the league with the Portland Trail Blazers and the Indiana Pacers.

The Knicks (9-19) played without forward Carmelo Anthony, the NBA’s leading scorer, who sprained an ankle in a win on Monday night over the Orlando Magic.

Bulls 95, Nets 78: Jimmy Butler scored 11 of his 15 points in the third quarter and the Chicago Bulls pulled away for a victory over the Brooklyn Nets.

Chicago (11-16) out-scored the Nets 36-20 in the third quarter to seize control and suck the holiday energy out of the Brooklyn crowd.

Deron Williams led the Nets (9-19) with 18 points and forward Mirza Teletovic added 17 as the team lost their fourth straight and 19th in 28 games.

Some fans in the upper deck chanted “Fire Kidd,” in reference to Brooklyn coach Jason Kidd, during the final minutes of the fourth quarter.