LeBron James Seals Deal In Portland, Miami Heat Blaze Closer to History

Last night in Portland, the Miami Heat managed to squeak out an overtime victory. In the first quarter, it was Dwyane Wade putting on the show. Wade scored 13 of the Heat's first 15 points, seemingly doing whatever he wanted in the process.

However, in the final minutes of the fourth quarter and overtime, the show belonged to LeBron James. Showered with boos and chants like he always is on the road, James once again silenced those in attendance with several spectacular plays.

With under two minutes to go in regulation, James hit a clutch three and made a pair of game-tying free throws in the final seconds. Then in overtime, he added eight more points, including a dagger with his final shot from three-point land.

James finished the night with 44 points, 13 rebounds, six assists and two steals. It was his first 40-point performance as a member of the Miami Heat.

With their win over the Trailblazers, the Heat extended their winning streak to nine straight.

They also moved a game closer to history, winning their 13th straight road game. The 1971-72 Los Angeles Lakers currently hold the record for consecutive games away from home won with 16. 

The Heat will get their shot at tying the record this week, as their next three games are on the road. On Wednesday they take on the Los Angeles Clippers, on Thursday they travel to Denver to take on the Nuggets, and then they conclude this road trip with a matchup against the Bulls in Chicago.

With the Clippers struggling and the Nuggets quite possibly being Carmelo–less on Thursday, it looks like Derrick Rose and the Chicago Bulls will be Miami's toughest obstacle to overcome en route to history.

However, every NBA fan knows anything can happen in this league, especially when a team like Miami fights the enemy within itself—complacency.