Heat notch club-record 15 straight wins

Wade shot 15-of-20 from the field and also added 10 assists for a 32-point haul while a hobbling James finished with 20 points and 10 rebounds as the Heat recorded a comfortable win.

“Everybody knows their roles on this team,” said Miami guard Ray Allen. “It takes time but we have figured out a formula on how to win on the road.”

James was playing with a sore left knee after wrenching it in Sunday's tense 99-93 win over the New York Knicks.

Allen had 13 points to help defending National Basketball Association champion Miami eclipse their previous club mark of 14 straight wins, set between Dec. 6, 2004 and Jan. 1, 2005.

Allen said the Heat can't afford to get complacent because other teams have no trouble getting motivated to face the reigning champions.

“It is a process,” Allen said of trying to repeat. “When you make it all the way you forget about the tough days.

“You can't get bored with the process. No win is greater than the next. We have got to start every game the same way.

Allen said Miami recognized they were now the team every rival wanted to beat.

“Teams look at beating us as a way to turn their seasons around,” he said.

“We have to put ourselves in other teams' shoes. We can't ease our way into any games or it will be a long night for us.”

Derrick Williams finished with a season-high 25 points, while Ricky Rubio had 14 points, eight assists and six steals for the Timberwolves who lost their sixth consecutive contest. Minnesota dropped to 4-22 in their last 26 games.

Minnesota was without star forward Kevin Love, who had surgery to repair a broken right hand. Center Nikola Pekovic also skipped Monday's contest with a abdominal strain. Starting forward Andrei Kirilenko is also out with a strained calf muscle.

J.J. Barea had four points and was tossed from the game in the final quarter after tangling with Allen.

Barea body-checked Allen as he was driving to the basket, knocking the former Boston Celtic to the floor. Allen got up quickly and charged towards Barea before players from both teams got between the two.

“I thought it was a bush league move,” Allen said of the body check. “I don't care who you are in the league you have got to defend yourself. He got ejected for a reason.”

After the ejection, Miami went on a 17-5 run to put the game out of reach for the Timberwolves.

Minnesota coach Rick Adelman tried to argue the flagrant one call on Barea but was slapped with a technical foul of his own.

Miami dominated Minnesota 58-32 in the paint, finishing with 24 dunks or layups out of a total of 38 field goals.

The Heat now head back home for four straight games against Orlando, Philadelphia, Indiana and Atlanta.

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