BOSTON (AP) - LeBron James scored 31 points, but the other members of Miami's new All-Star trio struggled in an 88-80 loss to the Boston Celtics on Tuesday night in the NBA season opener.
Dwyane Wade was limited to 13 points on 4-of-16 shooting and Chris Bosh added eight points and eight rebounds. They combined for 15 of the Heat's 17 turnovers - eight by James, six by Wade and one by Bosh.
Ray Allen led Boston with 20 points, Paul Pierce scored 19 and Kevin Garnett had 10 points and 10 rebounds. Those three joined together in 2007 and led the Celtics to the NBA title that season.
Boston led 16-9 after one quarter, the first time since March 15, 2009, at the Philadelphia 76ers that the Heat scored nine points or fewer in a period.
Lakers 112, Rockets 110
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Kobe Bryant scored 27 points, newcomer Steve Blake hit the go-ahead 3-pointer with 18.8 seconds left, and Los Angeles opened defense of its back-to-back NBA titles with a victory over Houston.
Pau Gasol had 29 points and 11 rebounds for the Lakers, who hung the golden banner celebrating their 16th NBA championship and handed out their impossibly gaudy rings in a heartfelt pregame ceremony.
The champs then fell behind by 15 points before rallying for a fourth-quarter lead behind Shannon Brown's 3-point barrage. The clubs traded the lead four times in the final minute, but Houston's Luis Scola missed a difficult scoop shot with 3 seconds left, and Aaron Brooks' layup attempt at the buzzer apparently was blocked by Lamar Odom.
Trail Blazers 106, Suns 92
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - Nicolas Batum scored 19 points, making three 3-pointers down the stretch, and had 11 rebounds to lead Portland to a season-opening victory over Phoenix.
Brandon Roy scored 24 points for the Blazers, who fell to the Suns in the first round of the playoffs last season.
Steve Nash had 26 points for the Suns, who trailed most of the first half before going ahead in the third quarter. Nash's turnaround jumper pushed the lead to 76-71.
Portland tied it at 86 on rookie Armon Johnson's jumper with 8:15 to go. After Andre Miller's jumper, Batum hit a 3-pointer and a jumper to make it 97-91 with 3:14 left.
Batum added two more 3-pointers, including his final one with 22.9 seconds left.