Heat 97, Nuggets 94: LeBron James returned from a one-game absence to record 26 points and 10 assists as visiting Miami outlasted Denver.

Chris Bosh added 17 points on 8-of-12 shooting for the Heat, who won for the eighth time in nine games. Ray Allen contributed 13 points off the bench and grabbed a team-high seven rebounds for Miami, which played much of the second half without Dwyane Wade, who left the game in the third quarter with back spasms and did not return.

Ty Lawson totaled 26 points for the Nuggets but missed a tying 3-point attempt in the final seconds as Denver lost its seventh consecutive game. Wilson Chandler and Darrell Arthur each had 13 points and J.J. Hickson chipped in with 12 points and a game-high 11 boards for Denver, which outrebounded the Heat 37-31.

Miami jumped out to an 8-0 lead off the opening tip before 12 points from Lawson helped Denver close the first quarter with a 30-29 edge. The Nuggets extended their advantage in the second quarter, riding eight points from Kenneth Faried and outscoring the Heat in the frame 25-17 to take a 55-46 lead into halftime.

Miami used a 13-0 run to start the third quarter and received 10 points in the period from James to hit the final stanza trailing 77-72. The Heat opened the fourth outscoring the Nuggets 11-5, jumping ahead 83-82 on a jumper from Bosh midway through the quarter and took a three-point lead with 15.4 seconds left when Allen made 1-of-2 free throws.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Miami PG Norris Cole, the only Heat player to appear in all 31 games this season, did not see any further action after falling awkwardly on his face attempting a layup in the third quarter. ... The last time Denver lost seven in a row was part of an eight-game skid in April of 2003. ... James, who celebrated his 29th birthday Monday, sat out Saturday's win over Portland nursing a strained groin.