Cavs’ second string can’t take the Heat

Cavaliers fall to 0-5 this season when James doesn’t play; Irving also sits out

MIAMI » Goran Dragic scored 23 points, Hassan Whiteside had 20 points and 13 rebounds, and the Miami Heat beat the undermanned Cavaliers, 12092, on March 4.

Tyler Johnson added 17 points for the Heat, who won for the 18th time in their last 22 games.

LeBron James and Kyrie Irving sat out for Cleveland, both getting the night off to rest. The Cavaliers fell to 0-5 this season when James isn’t in the lineup, and continue to be without two other wouldbe starters in Kevin Love and J.R. Smith — both still recovering from surgeries. Newly

signed center Andrew Bogut also wasn’t with the Cavaliers.

Channing Frye scored 21 points and Kyle Korver added 15 for the Cavaliers, who have lost their last 12 games in Miami. This one was largely drama-free until the final seconds, when players from both sides did a little shouting back and forth, with Miami’s Dion Waiters — a former Cavs guard — among those most upset.

Both benches spilled onto the court as time expired, though everyone retreated relatively quickly. The teams play again Monday in Cleveland.

The Heat remained 1 1/2 games behind Detroit for the No. 8 spot in the Eastern Conference race. Cleveland’s lead over idle Boston for the No. 1 spot in the East was trimmed to 2 1/2 games.

Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue said this wouldn’t be the last time James sits before the end of the regular season. He’s averaging nearly 38 minutes per game, and has played more minutes — by far — than anyone else in the NBA

over the last seven seasons, in large part because James keeps leading his teams to the NBA Finals.

He’s been to the last six of those, and the Cavs want to make sure he’s fresh enough come playoff time to have the best possible chance at No. 7.

“He understands the big picture and what we’re trying to accomplish,” Lue said. “The guy’s played so many minutes over the course of his career, and going to six straight Finals he has to take some rest at times.”

A 13-3 run by Miami to close the half sent the Heat into the locker room with a 67-51 lead, and they kept pulling away in the third. Dragic had 10 points in that quarter and the lead swelled to 101-75 going into the fourth.

LYNNE SLADKY — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Kyrie Irving and LeBron James sit on the bench during the first half March 4 in Miami.

LYNNE SLADKY — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS The Heat’s Tyler Johnson drives to the basket Tristan Thompson defends during the second half March 4 in Miami. The Heat defeated the Cavaliers, 120-92.