After the Miami Heat practically sleepwalked their way to a 2-0 series lead over the Brooklyn Nets, Paul Pierce & Co. punched back over the weekend, dropping their own double-digit beat down to pull within one game in the best-of-seven series. Monday night, LeBron James made sure that the series would remain in Miami’s control. The recently dethroned MVP dropped 49 points in a 102-96 win, thus setting up a win-or-go-home Game 5 for the Nets on Wednesday.

LeBron’s performance now gives him both of Miami’s single season and playoff records for most points scored in a game — he scored 61 earlier this season in a game against the Charlotte Bobcats. However, LeBron just missed out on a 50-burger thanks to a missed crunch time free throw.

[GDawkins]