Toronto, ON, Canada

The Miami Heat topped the Toronto Raptors 108-91 for their 22nd consecutive victory to equal the second-longest winning streak in NBA history.

LeBron James had 22 points and 12 rebounds for his career-best 32nd double-double of the season, Dwyane Wade had 24 points and nine assists, and Ray Allen scored 16 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter for the defending NBA champions.

Chris Bosh finished with 18 points as the Heat matched the 22 consecutive wins recorded by the 2007-08 Houston Rockets.

The NBA's longest streak is 33 games, set by the 1971-72 Los Angeles Lakers.

Toronto tied it at 77 on a pair of free throws by Rudy Gay less than a minute into the fourth before Miami blew it open, who answered immediately with Allen hitting a jumper, Norris Cole throwing a half-court lob pass to Wade for an alley-oop dunk and Allen again, hitting a 3-pointer to give Miami an 84-77 lead.

After a Raptors timeout, Chris Andersen converted a three-point play and Wade made two free throws, capping a 12-0 run that put the Heat up 89-77 with 7:42 left.

Miami is one win of moving into sole possession of second longest Monday when it visits the Celtics -- who ended the Rockets' run five years ago and have won 11 in a row at home.

Winners of two straight, the Celtics may be without veteran forward Kevin Garnett on Monday. The 15-time All-Star sat out Saturday's victory over Charlotte with a strained left thigh and is day to day.

Wade called the looming matchup with Boston "a great challenge."

"I think we'll be ready for it," he said. "We've got to get our rest and we've got to know we're going to have a dog fight on our hands."

Toronto is the third team with multiple losses to the Heat during the streak. Miami has beaten Philadelphia three times and Atlanta twice.

Rudy Gay scored 27 and Amir Johnson had 18 points and 18 rebounds as the Raptors lost their 11th straight against Miami, extending their longest active losing streak against a single opponent.

Jonas Valanciunas scored 18 points, and Terrence Ross and DeMar DeRozan each had 12 for the Raptors.

 

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