LEAD: Ailing James drops in 31 points as Heat dominate Lakers 98-87

By Paul Levine Jan 20, 2012, 7:37 GMT

Los Angeles - Listed as questionable after being sent home from shoot-around with flu-like symptoms earlier in the day, Miami Heat superstar LeBron James left no doubt he was the best player on the court in evening games Thursday.

James collected 31 points with eight assists and eight rebounds, as the short-handed Heat dominated the visiting LA Lakers 98-87.

'There were a few times I felt exhausted,' James said after logging 37 minutes. 'A chest cold can get to you at times, but I just wanted to be there for my teammates, I felt like I could help the team.'

Chris Bosh had 15 points and eight rebounds for Miami, which led by as many as 23 en route to consecutive wins after a season-high three-game slide, while All-Star guard Dwyane Wade (right ankle sprain) sat out his second straight game.

Spaniard Pau Gasol scored a season-high 26 points while Kobe Bryant made just 8-of-21 shots and finished with 24 points, including 14 in the fourth quarter after the outcome had been decided for the Lakers, who lost for just the second time in the last eight games.

'They were the aggressors on both ends of the floor until the last few minutes of the game,' Lakers coach Mike Brown said of the Heat. 'We were aggressive the last 6, 7 minutes. You can't go over a 48-minute game against a team like this and allow them to be the aggressor for most of the night.'

Showing no signs of illness, James had 13 points and six assists staking the Heat to a 52-37 halftime lead, while the Lakers were held to a frosty 31 per cent field goal shooting.

Miami continued to dominate, opening up 77-56 cushion after three quarters that swelled to 83-60 early in the fourth.

Bryant's late flurry pulled the Lakers to within 94-84 with two minutes remaining, but Derek Fisher missed a three-pointer. At the other end, Mario Chalmers made two free throws and James followed with a floater to seal the win.

Elsewhere: Houston Rockets 90, New Orleans Hornets 88 (OT): Kevin Martin scored 27 of his 32 points in the first half, Samuel Dalembert had 15 points with 17 rebounds and the go-ahead dunk with 11 seconds left in overtime, as the Rockets escaped the visiting Hornets for their fifth straight victory.

Jason Smith scored 17, Marco Belinelli added 15, but missed the potential-game-winning three-pointer at the buzzer for the Hornets, who fell for the 12th time in 13 games after wiping out a 12-point fourth-quarter deficit.

Dallas Mavericks 94, Utah Jazz 91: Shawn Marion scored a season-high 22 points, including a late layup after Jason Terry drilled the tie-breaking triple with 2 minutes 26 seconds remaining, and the reigning NBA Champ Mavericks held off the Jazz to stop a modest two-game slide

Al Jefferson had 22 points, C.J, Miles added 17 for host Utah, which lost for just the second time in its last 10 decisions.