MIAMI, March 15- The Miami Heat dealt San Antonio their biggest NBA regular season defeat since 2005 on Monday, pounding the Spurs 110-80 to avenge a blow-out loss to the Texas team earlier this month.
Chris Bosh scored 30 points and pulled down 12 rebounds, Dwyane Wade scored 29 and LeBron James chipped in 21 points with eight assists and six rebounds for the Heat, who have won three straight and moved within two games of Eastern Conference co-leaders Boston and Chicago.
Miami dropped a 125-95 decision in San Antonio on March 4, part of a five-game slide that sparked a frenzy of speculation about the star-studded team and whether it was truly championship material.
That kind of speculation as the Heat posted wins over the two-time defending champion Los Angeles Lakers, Memphis Grizzlies and now the NBA-leading Spurs.
"Sometimes when you suffer the results that we were and you have this extreme noise from outside, that can be a distraction only if you let it," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said.
"But in terms of the guys’ confidence, it never really wavered. This is a very confident group. But the consistency that we’ve had the last three games is something we can build on."
Tony Parker scored 18 points and Tim Duncan added 14 for San Antonio, who had won 15 of their last 18 against Miami.
It was the Spurs’ biggest regular-season loss since April 7, 2005, a 104-68 defeat in Dallas.
Their worst prior loss this season was a 96-72 defeat at New Orleans.
The Heat excelled in ever aspect, out-rebounding San Antonio 47-33 and shooting 54 percent to the Spurs’ 38.
"We made a lot of shots in San Antonio and they made a lot of shots here," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "What goes around comes around."
When the teams met less than two weeks ago, the Spurs were in charge before the end of the first quarter.
On Monday, it was Miami’s turn. The Heat led 49-39 at halftime, and the Spurs couldn’t get the deficit within double digits.
