OAKLAND — LeBron James became the youngest player in NBA history to score 20,000 points and also surpassed 5,000 assists on a milestone night Wednesday, leading the Miami Heat to a 92-75 victory over the undermanned Golden State Warriors.
James finished with 25 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds.
He eclipsed both marks before halftime, helped Miami go ahead by 34 points in the third quarter and allowed coach Erik Spoelstra to rest his starters – without debate – for the fourth quarter. Dwyane Wade added 15 points, eight rebounds and six assists, and Mario Chalmers scored 15 for the Heat, who had lost three of their previous four away from home.
The Warriors’ David Lee had 12 points and 11 rebounds, and Jarrett Jack scored 16 in place of Stephen Curry, who sprained his twice surgically repaired right ankle during Golden State’s morning practice. The team said X-rays were negative, and Warriors coach Mark Jackson said he doesn’t expect Curry to be out long.
With center Andrew Bogut out indefinitely recovering from left ankle surgery, Curry’s absence turned out to be too much to overcome against the defending NBA champions.
James needed 18 points entering the game to be the 38th NBA player to reach the milestone. Previously the youngest player to score 20,000 points was Lakers star Kobe Bryant, who got there when he was 29 years, 122 days old. James was 28 years, 17 days old Wednesday.
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