Heat Beat Bulls In Opener – NBA Roundup For Oct. 30th

UNDATED (AP) — The Miami Heat celebrated their second straight NBA championship by distributing rings and raising the title banner before Tuesday's season-opening game against the Chicago Bulls. They spent the first half proving they have the horses to win a third straight championship.

Miami built a 54-33 halftime lead in a 107-95 win over the Bulls. Miami scored 37 points in the second quarter alone, more than Chicago accumulated the entire first half.

LeBron James had a team-high 17 points and Chris Bosh added 16 for Miami.

Bulls guard Derrick Rose finished with 12 points in his first game since missing all of last season because of knee surgery.

The Los Angeles Lakers did just fine without the injured Kobe Bryant, blowing out the Clippers in the fourth quarter of a 116-103 win at Staples Center. The Lakers trailed by four before outscoring the Clippers 41-24 in the final period.

Jodie Meeks scored nine of his 13 points in the fourth quarter as the Lakers ruined Doc Rivers' debut as coach of the Clippers.

Xavier Henry carried the Lakers' offense with a career-high 22 points on 8 of 13 shooting. Pau Gasol (pow gah-SAHL') added 15 points and 13 rebounds to the win.

The NBA season actually began last night in Indiana, where Paul George scored 24 points and Roy Hibbert grabbed 16 rebounds in the Pacers' 97-87 win over Orlando. George drained a buzzer-beating three-pointer to end the third quarter and spark a decisive 17-4 run.

DALLAS (AP) — The Dallas Mavericks are in the market for a general manager once again.

Gersson Rosas has resigned after three months, saying it wasn't the best fit for him at this point in his career. Rosas filled a position that had been vacant since former coach and GM Don Nelson left the franchise eight years ago.