MIAMI -- Best player. Best game of his career. LeBron James clearly isnt ready to concede his MVP award to anyone yet. Dazzling from inside and out, James put on the best scoring show of his NBA life Monday night, pouring in 61 points -- a career high and franchise record -- as the Miami Heat beat the Charlotte Bobcats 124-107. It was the eighth straight win for the two-time defending champions, who are starting to roll as the playoffs get near. James made 22 of 33 shots from the field, including his first eight three-point attempts. "The man above has given me some unbelievable abilities to play the game of basketball," James said. "I just try to take advantage of it every night. I got the trust of my teammates and my coaching staff to go in there and let it go." His career best had been 56 points, on March 20, 2005, for Cleveland against Toronto. Glen Rice scored 56 to set the Heat record on April 15, 1995, against Orlando. James had 24 points at halftime, then added 25 in the third quarter. The record-breaker came with 5:46 left, when James spun through three defenders for a layup that fell as he tumbled to the court. "There was an efficiency to what he was doing," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "The rim looked like an ocean for him." Spoelstra walked into his postgame news conference with a confession: He nearly took James out after the third quarter. Good thing he thought better of that plan. "He was in a great groove, obviously," Spoelstra said. Al Jefferson had 38 points and 19 rebounds for the Bobcats, his huge night merely an afterthought. This was all about LeBron. "You take away his 61 points," Jefferson said, "and we still had a fighting chance there at the end." Yes, even the Bobcats were marveling at James. He was hitting from everywhere, even a pull-up three-pointer from about 30 feet -- Spoelstra joked it was from 40 -- late in the third quarter, as the crowd roared and the Heat bench jumped with joy. "Yeah, that was a designed play," Spoelstra deadpanned. "Weve been working on that one for a while." That was the moment, James said, when he knew he was in the midst of a special night. "I felt pretty good in the first half but halftime can always kind of derail things and slow things up," James said. "But I was able to get things going once again in the third quarter and I knew it could be one of those nights." Not "one of those nights." Even for James, this was like no other. Most points in a game. Most field goals in a game. Most points in any quarter in Heat history, with the 25 in the third. Most points in the second half, 37, by any Heat player ever. "Once he sniffed 60, we knew he was going for it," Heat forward Shane Battier said. "And the amazing part is the efficiency. Good Lord. Sixty-one on 33 shots, thats Wilt Chamberlain-esque. Thats pretty amazing. Incredible performance." When James checked out with 1:24 left, the entire Heat roster met him near midcourt for high-fives and hugs, and the sellout crowd gave him a standing ovation. A second huge roar followed when he waved to the crowd, as "M-V-P" chants rained down. Charlotte has allowed the two biggest single-game scoring totals in the NBA this season. Carmelo Anthony had 62 points for the New York Knicks against the Bobcats on Jan. 24. Chris Bosh scored 15 for the Heat, and Toney Douglas added 10. Chris Douglas-Roberts and Anthony Tolliver each scored 12 for Charlotte. "If hes going to shoot the ball like that from that range, theres nobody thats going to beat them," Bobcats coach Steve Clifford said. Miami was without guard Dwyane Wade, who got a night off to rest. Spoelstra stressed theres been no setback for Wade, who has been on a knee-maintenance program throughout this season and is averaging 23.5 points on 62 per cent shooting since the All-Star break. Wade probably didnt mind sitting for this one. It gave him a courtside seat for the show. James scored 11 in the first quarter, after which Miami led by three, and added 13 more in the second. His 24-point first half was the highest-scoring opening 24 minutes for the four-time MVP in nearly a year, helping stake the Heat to a 60-54 lead at the break. Jefferson was up to 26 at that point. He didnt cool off much after halftime, either. It just didnt matter. James, said Clifford, "was phenomenal." There was no way Jefferson or anyone else was keeping up with James, who had to listen to critics in recent weeks say that Kevin Durants scoring for Oklahoma City this season shifted the balance of MVP power. Not so fast. "Every night I go on the floor I want to be the MVP, of this league, MVP of this team, MVP for me, myself and my family," James said. "Ive set a high standard and I have to live by that." James made three three-pointers in the first seven minutes of the quarter -- he was 6 for 6 from beyond the arc at that point -- and when Charlotte bit on his head fake from the top of the key, James coolly found Douglas to set up another 3. A tip-in by James followed not long afterward and just like that, the lead was up to 83-63. Charlotte scored the next six points, but any notion that the game was slipping from Miamis control was quickly extinguished. James scored the next six himself, a pair of three-point plays to restore the 20-point edge and give him 43 points, already a season high. All that was left to see was what hed finish with. The answer was history. "I was happy I was able to make a few plays to help us win," James said. NOTES: Spoelstra won the Eastern Conference coach of the month award for February. Houstons Kevin McHale won in the Western Conference, and the Rockets host to Miami on Tuesday night. ... The Heat improved to 10-6 when Wade doesnt play. Theyre 33-8 when he does. ... Kemba Walker had eight assists for Charlotte. ... The Heat were 16 for 28 from beyond the arc. Brett Favre Youth Jersey . -- Gary Harris gave No. Chad Greenway Vikings Jersey . Zanetti will retire after 19 seasons at Inter, and the stadium was sold out as fans packed in to bid farewell to their 40-year-old captain. Lazio threatened to spoil the party when Giuseppe Biava scored the opening goal inside two minutes to stun San Siro. http://www.authenticvikingsgears.com/Youth-Cris-Carter-Vikings-Jersey/ . That further limits the options of Australia coach Ewen McKenzie, who on Monday suspended six players who were involved in a night out in Dublin ahead of the Saturdays 32-15 win over the Irish. The Wallabies play Scotland on Saturday before facing Wales on Nov. Jarius Wright Youth Jersey . Ramon, 30, played in a career-high 97 games with the Goldeyes in 2013. He also matched a career-high eight home runs and posted 52 RBI. Paul Krause Youth Jersey . - As further proof the NFL never is far from the headlines, owners could make plenty of news this week at their spring meetings.BARCELONA, Spain - Athletic Bilbao strengthened its hold on fourth place in the Spanish league by winning 2-0 at Real Betis on Sunday after the bottom side had two players dismissed. Bilbaos first victory in four rounds lifted it four points clear of Real Sociedad and kept it in command of Spains last Champions League berth for next season. In contrast, Betis was left 11 points from safety after a dismal performance that at times bordered on self-destruction amid some questionable refereeing decisions. Seconds after Betis Ruben Castro was booked for diving in the area, Bilbao forward Iker Muniain scored from a spot kick in the 34th minute after Damien Perquis tripped Kike Sola from behind on the edge of the area. Another reckless tackle by Perquis earned him a second yellow card in the 41st to completely deflate the crowd at Benito Villamarin Stadium. Betis was left with nine men from the 58th when Lorenzo Reyes handled the ball after he had already been booked for arguing. Bilbao squandered several scoring chances until substitute Guillermo Fernandez headed in the first ball he touched in the 81st. Betis has won one game in the last 18 rounds despite having three different coaches this season. "It was an ugly game," said Bilbao coach Ernesto Valverde. "My team pulled out a win thanks to the setbacks suffered by the other side.dddddddddddd Playing against nine I still had the sensation that the game was evenly matched. Our forwards could have done a little more for us." Also, Valencia and Sevilla both won to move to within five points of sixth place and Spains last Europa League spot. Valencia needed an injury-time goal from 19-year-old defender Ruben Vezo in his first start to complete a 2-1 comeback win at home over a feisty Granada. Francisco "Piti" Medina put Granada ahead in the 47th, but as the visitors tired Valencia substitute Paco Alcacer tapped in Sofiane Feghoulis pass to level in the 64th. Valencia kept pressing and Vezo volleyed in a free kick headed on by a defender to claim the hard-fought win. Sevilla won 1-0 at Rayo Vallecano to end a six-game winless streak. After a drab first half by both sides, fullback Jorge "Coke" Andujar headed home Ivan Rakitics free kick to grab the 57th-minute winner at Vallecas Stadium. Unai Emerys team played the last seven minutes with 10 men after Vicente Iborra received his second booking for taking too long to leave the pitch after receiving medical assistance. Rayo remained in second-to-last place and five points from safety after conceding its league worst 59th goal in 25 games. "This was not a day to lose," Rayo defender Jose Castro said. cheap nfl Jerseys Cheap Jerseys Cheap Jerseys Cheap Jerseys cheap nfl Jerseys wholesale Jerseys ' ' '