the handle on the loose ball and threw out Hunter trying to take

MIAMI -- Turns out, the Miami Heat can beat the Brooklyn Nets. And rest hardly led to rust for the two-time defending NBA champions. LeBron James scored 22 points, Ray Allen added 19 and the Heat stayed perfect in this post-season by beating the Nets 107-86 on Tuesday night in Game 1 of an Eastern Conference semifinal series. It was the first win for Miami in five meetings with Brooklyn this season. "Its one," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "But I liked the energy, the activity." Chris Bosh scored 15 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, Dwyane Wade finished with 14 points and Mario Chalmers had 12 for Miami, which recorded at least one regular-season win against every team except Brooklyn, losing four times by a total of 12 points. This one was a different story. A 24-9 run in the third quarter blew things open for the Heat, who hadnt played in eight days after sweeping Charlotte in the opening round. "It was great that we were able to come out the way we did after being off eight days," James said. "We got a lot of work in. We had eight days off of not playing a basketball game but Spo got us in the gym. (We) got each other in the gym. We made each other accountable throughout the layoff and it proved tonight." Deron Williams and Joe Johnson scored 17 points each for the Nets, who got only eight from Paul Pierce and no points from Kevin Garnett in 16 minutes. Game 2 of the best-of-seven series is Thursday night. "This is the defending champs," Nets coach Jason Kidd said. "Its always going to be at a high level and weve got to find a way to match it." James finished 10 for 15 from the field and Allen -- who had never faced his former Boston "Big 3" compatriots Pierce and Garnett in the playoffs -- was 4 of 7 from 3-point land. "He was focused on the job at hand," James said. Miamis lead was 55-52 early in the third quarter after a 3-pointer by Williams, and every indication was that the Heat and Nets -- who played three one-point games and a double-overtime affair in the regular season -- were heading down to the wire again. Not quite. The Heat took off on the 24-9 run over a 7-minute span, with Bosh scoring the first seven points of that burst to get Miami going. Allens 3-pointer pushed the lead to 14, James and Chris Andersen (who left in the fourth with a right knee contusion) added two free throws apiece and just like that Miamis lead was up to 79-61. "Its fun when you win the game and you can at least for a night do whatever it is you do, have some dinner, chill at home and exhale a little bit," Bosh said. "When you lose, you cant sleep, your stomach hurts and its not a very good situation." For Brooklyn, the trouble came at an unexpected time. The Nets had the best third-quarter scoring differential in the East after Jan. 1, but were outscored 33-23 in that pivotal quarter in Game 1. It was a hectic news day long before Heat-Nets, with Oklahoma Citys Kevin Durant being announced as the leagues MVP, the firing of Golden State coach Mark Jackson and the NBA saying that Los Angeles Clippers president Andy Roeser would be taking an indefinite leave as part of the fallout related to the Donald Sterling scandal. James two-year reign as MVP lasted 198 games. "We have a new MVP, but when you talk about the best players in the world, hes 1A, 1B with Durant," Kidd said. Pregame lineup moves by both clubs lent more intrigue. Miami brought Shane Battier -- who played 2 minutes, total, in the first round against Charlotte -- back into the starting five, while Brooklyn reinserted Shaun Livingston into its lineup after using him off the bench late in the Toronto series. After never leading by more than seven points against Brooklyn in the regular season, the Heat led by 11 after a drive by James with 3:32 left in the first half. But the Nets closed on a 14-6 run, and Williams first beat-the-clock 3-pointer of the game sent Brooklyn into halftime down 46-43. Williams did it again in the third, but that one only got Brooklyn within 79-66. "It came down to defence tonight," Williams said. "Our defensive game plan was not executed at all." NOTES: The Heat held a pregame moment of silence for Hall of Famer Jack Ramsay, who died last week at the age of 89. ... David Beckham, who will be bringing an MLS team to Miami, sat next to the Heat bench. ... Livingston was on the court to warm up for the second half with about 10 minutes left in the intermission. Small problem: The rack of basketballs wasnt on the court yet. ... The Nets are 1-9 all-time against Miami in playoff games. ... Miami had not won consecutive Game 1s since the 2nd and 3rd rounds of the 2012 playoffs. Custom Nike New York Yankees Jerseys . Having won the first leg 1-0 in Barcelona, Madrid entered the match at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium already in control and quickly sealed its place in the semifinals when Jese Rodriguez scored in the seventh minute. Custom Nike St. Louis Cardinals Jerseys . Perhaps as important, shes sending a message to 17-year-old gold medal favourite Sara Takanashi of Japan. Iraschko-Stolz relegated Takanashi, who has 10 World Cup victories this season, to second place in two of three training jumps Saturday. https://www.customnikebaseballjerseys.com/ . -- Theres been so much talk about Mike Moustakas at the plate that the third baseman ignored the conversation Wednesday -- even after doing something positive. Custom Nike Minnesota Twins Jerseys . "Win basketball games," Collins said. He will get at least a few more chances. Collins played the final minutes of a winning home debut with the Brooklyn Nets, who cooled off the Chicago Bulls with a 96-80 victory Monday night. Cheap Custom Nike Baseball Jerseys . -- Arizona coach Sean Miller rose from his seat every time Roberto Nelson touched the ball and yelled "Shooter!" He could have been talking about his own team, too. BALTIMORE -- A reversed call got the uprising started. Then came a walk after the Detroit Tigers were down to their last strike. That forced Tommy Hunter to go up against Miguel Cabrera, perhaps the last person a struggling closer wants to face with the outcome hanging in the balance. Cabrera hit a hanging curveball over the centre-field wall for a three-run homer, and the Tigers rallied past the Baltimore Orioles 4-1 on Tuesday night. After being held scoreless on three hits over the first eight innings, the Tigers improved to 1-12 when trailing after eight innings. "You never know in baseball," Detroit manager Brad Ausmus said. "When the top of our order swings the bat, we can score some runs quickly." Hunter held a 1-0 lead before giving up a leadoff single to Alex Avila. Pinch-runner Rajai Davis was called out trying to steal, but Ausmus challenged the call and after looking at the replay, umpires called Davis safe at second. "The instant replay was probably the turning point, I guess," Ausmus said. Hunter (1-1) got two straight outs before working the count on Torii Hunter to 1-2. The at-bat ended in a walk. "You cant let arguably one of the best hitters in the game come to the plate," Tommy Hunter said. "Youve got to throw a strike right there and I missed." Two pitches later, Cabrera connected. "Its a chance that we win or were going to lose," Cabrera said. "You dont have to think too much of it. Youve got to go out there and try and see what happens." Victor Martinez followed Cabreras sixth home run with a shot to right that landed on Eutaw Street beyond the scoreboard in right field. Justin Miller (1-1) pitched one inning to earn his first big league win and Joe Nathan got three outs for his ninth save. Nathan has seven saves and a 0.00 ERA in his last eight outings. Adam Jones hit a first-inning homer for the Orioles, who have dropped three in a row following a five-game winning streak. Jones has five home runs, four in the last seven games. Baltimore starter Ubaldo Jimenez gave up three hits, walked two and struck out seven in seven innings. After going 0-4 with a 6.59 ERA in April, the right-hander is 2-0 with a 0.46 ERA in May. Jimenez, who signed a four-year, $50 milllion contract as a free agent in February, permitted only one runner past first base.dddddddddddd All three hits against him were singles, and on each occasion the runner was erased trying to steal. Darren ODay worked a perfect eighth, but Hunter couldnt preserve the lead. He left the mound to jeers from fans who minutes earlier were standing in anticipation of the final out. Hunter has 11 saves, but his job as closer could be in jeopardy. "Im not going to get in to handicapping, this means that and that means this," manager Buck Showalter said. "Well constantly see what gives us the best option to pitch nine innings, and be competitive and continue to be in first place. And thats what well do." Said Hunter: "Its my job today. Well see." Detroit starter Drew Smyly allowed five hits over six innings and matched a season high with seven strikeouts. In his previous three outings against the Orioles, all in relief, Smyly gave up two hits and struck out eight in eight shutout innings. Detroit trailed 1-0 in the seventh when Hunter led off with a single and Cabrera walked. After Jimenez bounced a curveball, rookie catcher Caleb Joseph quickly found the handle on the loose ball and threw out Hunter trying to take third. Martinez bounced into a 4-6-3 double play. Baltimore catchers were 4 for 29 in throwing out would-be stealers before Joseph went 3 for 4. The rookie also got his first major league hit, a fourth-inning single. NOTES: RHP Kevin Gausman will be recalled from Triple-A Norfolk to start Wednesday for the Orioles. The move was designed to give starters Wei-Yin Chen and Miguel Gonzalez an extra day of rest. Gonzalez will be available in the bullpen for Wednesdays game. Baltimore also announced it optioned RHP Preston Guilmet to Norfolk after the game. Guilmet made two scoreless appearances totalling 1 2/3 innings after being recalled before Mondays game. ... Ausmus said RHP Anibal Sanchez (finger laceration) will come off the DL to start Sunday against Boston. ... Detroits Rick Porcello, who left Mondays game with a tightness in his side, remains on schedule for his next start Saturday. ... Showalter said starter Chris Tillman had some groin soreness after his start Sunday, but the right-hander appears to have recovered. ' ' '