'The Heatles' conquer Charlotte

On a day when LeBron James and Dwyane Wade split the Eastern Conference player of the month award, the duo delivered yet another road victory and reached a new achievement. Yes, the Miami Heat superstars can put up big numbers together.

James scored 38 points for his 10th game of 30 or more and Wade added 31 for his ninth. But last night's 96-82 road victory over shorthanded Charlotte marked the first time they each topped 30 in the same game.

"To look at us in the Boston game earlier this year, we didn't know what each other was thinking," Wade said. "Now we're on the same page. Us not being able to play together is not a conversation anymore. I think we do a good job of playing off each other.

"This is what we envisioned and it's starting to come true."

The memories of the terrible opening-night loss to the Celtics and the 9-8 start are fading fast as the Heat cruised to their 18th win in 19 games and 11th straight on the road.

Playing for the first time against Paul Silas, his first NBA coach in Cleveland, James scored 26 points in the second half and added nine rebounds. Wade had 18 points in the first half and grabbed 11 boards.

"I guess ESPN needs to make a show of me and D-Wade now, '30 for 30,' " James joked.

With James and Wade playing like this, the Bobcats wouldn't have had much of a chance at full strength. With the lineup they put out there, they had none.

"When Wade is going and LeBron is going, you have to call it a day," Silas said.

Charlotte played without starting forward Gerald Wallace (ankle) and center Nazr Mohammed (knee) the same day tests revealed backup big man DeSagana Diop is lost for the season with a ruptured Achilles' tendon.

With Kwame Brown the only healthy center, the Bobcats fell apart offensively, missing 18 straight shots bridging the second and third quarters.

But Miami clamped down defensively and by the time the Bobcats got another shot to fall - Augustin's three-pointer with 5:30 left in the third - Miami led 61-51.

After the Bobcats cut a 19-point deficit to 80-69 early in the fourth quarter, James beat the shot clock by swishing a 30-footer along the left baseline while double teamed. He then stole a pass and went in for a reverse dunk on the next possession and stared at Bobcats owner Michael Jordan sitting courtside.

James, who joked the Heat are referring to themselves as "The Heatles" after the Beatles for attracting big crowds on the road, helped his old coach fall to 2-2 since replacing the fired Larry Brown.

In other games:

* At Boston, Paul Pierce scored 23 points to help the Celtics overcome a double-digit deficit - and another double-digit rebounding performance by Kevin Love - and beat the Minnesota Timberwolves, 96-93. Love had 24 rebounds and 12 points, but he airballed a jumper with just over a minute left after Rajon Rondo hit a scoop shot to give Boston a one-point lead.

* At Orlando, Hedo Turkoglu had 10 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists and Dwight Howard added 22 points and 17 rebounds, leading the Magic to a 110-90 victory over the Golden State Warriors.

* At Denver, Carmelo Anthony scored 33 points and the Nuggets pulled ahead late in the fourth quarter to beat the Houston Rockets, 113-106, for their fourth consecutive win.

* At Salt Lake City, Deron Williams scored 22 points, including a pair of late free throws, as the Utah Jazz beat Detroit, 102-97.

* Oklahoma City backup point guard Eric Maynor is day to day with a sprained right foot.

* The New York Knicks say forward Danilo Gallinari is expected to miss 2 to 3 weeks with a sprained left knee.