MIAMI – LeBron James' new fan base in Miami had a response.
So did his teammates.
Chris Bosh scored 27 points, Dwyane Wade added 26 and the Miami Heat scored 11 straight points in the final minutes to beat the Atlanta Hawks 89-77 on Saturday night — winning their fourth straight to move a season-high five games over .500.
"It's just a better feel in the locker room, away from the game, but also on the basketball court," Wade said. "We're starting to 'get it' with each other. ... It's making a world of difference."
James was quiet offensively for much of the second half, and it didn't matter. He finished with 22 points, and got serenaded by "Miami loves you!" chants — a nod to the "Akron hates you!" cries James heard when Miami visited Cleveland for the first time since he scorned the Cavaliers and joined the Heat in July.
Wade and Bosh did their part to keep the Hawks at bay, and then the reigning two-time MVP got his first field goal of the second half with 2:52 remaining — a fierce slam, followed by a scream, all giving Miami an 81-72 lead. Mario Chalmers hit an off-balance jumper with 1:38 left, the lead was back to 11, and Miami survived.
"We're figuring it out," James said. "We're figuring out what it takes for us three to be successful, and to have the team win."
Wade and Bosh each had 10 rebounds for the Heat (13-8), whose lead was cut to two at 74-72 with 4:39 remaining. Atlanta then missed its next six shots and Miami ran away.
"They're a tough team," Hawks coach Larry Drew said. "Anytime you have three guys that can potentially be 20-plus every night, you got your hands full."
Only a week ago, the Heat were reeling, calling a 40-minute players-only meeting after a loss in Dallas sent a team with championship aspirations to 9-8.
Four straight wins later, that all seems a distant memory.
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