Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade (3) watches as Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant (24) steals during the second quarter of an NBA basketball game Monday, Dec. 25, 2006, in Miami. [AP]

"You always watched," Wade said, "because something exciting always happened."

He wasn't watching on Monday ¡ª because he was the one providing the excitement.

Wade dismissed all pregame suggestions that his Christmas would be a 1-on-1 showdown against Kobe Bryant, then turned the matchup of two of the NBA's best scorers into a one-sided battle. He had 40 points and 11 assists, leading Miami to a 101-85 win over the Los Angeles Lakers ¡ª the third straight Christmas win for the Heat in the series.

"Makes it great, man, makes it great," Wade said. "To be playing on Christmas is great. ... And we can go home and continue enjoying Christmas Day knowing that you played an unbelievable game, knowing that your team played well and that you got a win. Ain't too many things better than that."

Wade made 12 of 20 shots from the floor, 15 of 16 from the line, and got a huge ovation from another sellout Miami crowd when leaving with 57.9 seconds remaining.

The praise kept coming postgame, too.

"An outrageous night," Heat coach Pat Riley said.

"Flash, man," Heat forward Dorell Wright said. "That boy's got something."

"Pretty entertaining to watch," added Heat center Alonzo Mourning. "He's a special player."

Meanwhile, Bryant ¡ª who entered the game as the sixth-leading scorer in the league at 27.8 points ¡ª never got rolling. He missed his first six shots, finished 4-of-17 from the floor and with 16 points, one over his season-low.

"You have to let it go," Bryant said. "It was disappointing, but we have two more games on this trip. It's a long season. We are 18-10. Now it is time to move on."

Jason Kapono had 11 points and Wright added 10 for the Heat, who won for the fourth time in five games.

1

2