MIAMI -- In the fourth quarter on Saturday night, Miami Heat fans taunted their former star player, chanting "LeBron is tired!"
The fans were reacting to the Cleveland Cavaliers, who rested LeBron James and suffered the consequences, falling 99-84 to Miami at AmericanAirlines Arena.
In James' 13-year pro career, it was the earliest in a season that he sat out without an announced injury. But after James played 45 minutes in New Orleans late Friday night, the Cavs opted to have him on their bench, not in uniform.
James, fifth in the league in minutes played, smiled when he heard the taunt, but it really was not a laughing matter to his teammates.
"It's totally different," Cavaliers guard J.R. Smith said of playing without James. "He's like a coach on the floor on top of being the best player."
Cavaliers coach David Blatt said James was "a little sore" but not injured.
"Tough game (Friday) night, and we had a short turnaround," Blatt said when asked why James was rested. "We're just thinking long term and being conscious of taking care of (James). I had to force the issue (with James). We got to the team hotel at 5:30 in the morning.
"It would have been the same (resting him even) if it were any other team in the NBA. Believe me, it's tough sitting him out. We sorely need him."
Without James, the Cavs were no match for the Heat, who have defeated Cleveland 10 straight times when the teams play in Miami.
The Heat (12-6), which got a game-high 19 points each from shooting guards Dwyane Wade and Tyler Johnson, pulled into a virtual tie with Cleveland (13-7) in a tightly packed Eastern Conference.
Miami has won two straight games. Cleveland has lost three straight games.
The Heat was also led by point guard Goran Dragic, who had 17 points and eight assists. Dragic got off quickly, making all four of his first-quarter shots to score 10 points. It was his highest scoring quarter of the season.
In his past two games, wins over the Oklahoma City Thunder and Cleveland, Dragic has averaged 15.5 points and 7.5 assists. But in the six games before that, he averaged only 9.8 points and 4.2 assists.
Dragic, in his first full season with the Heat, said he is making the needed adjustments.
"I know where I need to pass the ball to D-Wade, where I need to pass to CB (forward Chris Bosh)," Dragic said. "It's a working process. It needs time.
"I'm enjoying this right now. I was in a little bit of a slump, but that's over now."
Miami also got seven points, nine rebounds and five blocks from center Hassan Whiteside.
Cleveland was led by forward Richard Jefferson, who started in place of James and had 16 points.
Whiteside, who leads the NBA in blocked shots, got two fouls in the first five minutes of the game for the second time this week -- it also happened against Boston on Monday.
This time the Heat prospered without Whiteside, building a 16-point lead before settling for a 34-22 advantage headed into the second quarter. The Heat shot 74 percent, including four of five on 3-pointers, for their highest-scoring first quarter of the season.
Miami extended its lead to 60-42 at halftime. The Heat shot 66 percent from the floor in the first half. Dragic had 15 points at the half.
"We're not going to overanalyze it," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said of Dragic's improved play. "I love his approach. I have loved seeing him grow.
"He has been the head of our defense on so many pick and rolls. He would even admit that this is the most committed and the best he has played defensively."
The Cavs, meanwhile, never seriously threatened after the first quarter, and Blatt said that was predictable.
"We knew this game would be a challenge for us," Blatt said. "We suffered from those two facts -- LeBron didn't play, and it was a tough, tough back-to-back."
Smith agreed that the Cavaliers were a tired team.
"We were dragging," he said. "It's extremely tough. But it's part of the schedule."
NOTES: Cavs F LeBron James, whom the Cavs opted to rest on Saturday night, has missed 14 games in the one-plus seasons since his return to Cleveland. In four years with the Heat, he missed just 18 games. James needed the rest after scoring a season-high 37 points on Friday night in an overtime loss at New Orleans. James scored 23 points in the fourth quarter. ... F Richard Jefferson made his third start of the season. ... Heat F Luol Deng (hamstring) missed his fifth straight game. F Gerald Green has started all five games in his place. ... Heat F Josh McRoberts, who had six points, was coming off a season-high 12 points in Thursday's game against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
