LeBron James can cross another item off his to-do list.
James scored 30 points, Ray Allen had another big game against his old team and the Heat got their first playoff sweep in the Big Three era, advancing to the Eastern Conference semifinals with an 88-77 victory over the Bucks in Milwaukee yesterday.
“It was our next big step as far as our growth,” James said. “It’s so hard to win on the road in the playoffs, in someone’s building — especially when someone is playing for their last life. It’s a big step for us.”
Now the Heat have some much-needed time to rest. Dwyane Wade sat out yesterday’s game, only the second postseason game he has missed in his career, because of his aching right knee. But with Miami not playing until Saturday, at the earliest, he’ll have plenty of time to treat the three bone bruises that caused him to miss six games near the end of the regular season.
Miami plays the winner of the Nets-Bulls series. The Bulls lead that series 3-1, with Game 5 tonight at Barclays Center.
The defending NBA champions won each game by double digits. Allen finished with 16 points, the third time in the series he scored in double figures, and was 4 of 7 from 3-point range.
Spurs 103, Lakers 82
In Los Angeles, Tony Parker scored 23 points as San Antonio completed a first-round sweep of the injury-plagued Lakers.
“Obviously, it wasn’t a fair fight,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said.
Tim Duncan had 11 points and six rebounds for the second-seeded Spurs, who will face the winner of Denver’s series with Golden State in the second round.
Dwight Howard, in his final game before unrestricted free agency, scored seven points before getting ejected early in the third quarter for arguing.
Pau Gasol had 16 points for the Lakers, who were swept from the postseason for the second time in three years despite a late courtside appearance by Kobe Bryant on crutches.
Warriors 115, Nuggets 101
In Oakland, Stephen Curry shook off a sore left ankle to score 22 of his 31 points in the third quarter as Golden State took a 3-1 series lead.
Curry shot 10 of 16 from the floor and added seven assists. His five 3-pointers in the third quarter lifted Golden State to a 20-point lead and its third straight victory.
The sixth-seeded Warriors can close out the series tomorrow night in Denver.