MIAMI -- LeBron James scored 31 points Thursday to lead the Miami Heat to a 98-87 NBA victory over Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers.

Hours after he was  sent home from the morning shoot-around because of flu-like  symptoms, two-time NBA Most Valuable Player James rose to the occasion in the clash with the Lakers and their superstar.

“I just wanted to be there for my teammates,” James said.

“There were a few times I felt exhausted,” he added. “A chest cold can get to you at times. I didn’t feel like myself this morning.”

The victory also gave James his first win against new Lakers coach Mike Brown, who coached him for five seasons in Cleveland.

James also delivered eight assists with eight rebounds to help the Heat overcome the absence of Dwyane Wade, still nursing a sprained right ankle.

Wade was hurt in a defeat at Denver last week and will be out indefinitely.

Chris Bosh scored 15 points and Shane Battier added 11 for Miami, who had lost the last three games of a road trip before returning home to beat San Antonio on Tuesday.

Bryant was limited to 1-of-8 shooting in the  first half,  warming up in the  second to finish with 24 points on 8-of-21 shooting.

As a  team, the Lakers  shot 42 percent.

Despite their star  power, James downplayed the match-up between  himself and Bryant.

“It’s never been between me and  Kobe,” James said.

“I’ve  been in  this league long  enough  that I  don’t have  to prove anything to Kobe, and  he doesn’t have to prove anything to me.”

Pau Gasol led the  Lakers with 26 and Andrew Bynum added  15.

In  the only  other NBA games,  Dallas Mavericks subdued  Utah  Jazz, 94-91l and Housotn  Rockets outlasted New Orleans Hornets, 90-88, in overtime.

In Houston, Kevin Martin scored 27 of his 32 points in the first half, Samuel Dalembert grabbed a season-high 17 rebounds as the Rockets survived one of the worst fourth quarters in team history with a 90-88 overtime win over the New Orleans Hornets.

Courtney Lee scored a season-high 17 points and Kyle Lowry added 10 points and eight assists for the Rockets, who’ve won five in a row.

Jason Smith scored 17 points and Jarrett Jack and Marco Bellinelli added 15 points apiece for the Hornets, who’ve lost 12 of 13.

And in Salt Lake City, Shawn Marion scored a season-high 22 points, including a late layup, as Dallas snapped a two-game losing streak and cooled off  Utah with a 94-91 victory.

The Mavs were coming off back-to-back last-possession losses to the Lakers and Clippers.

The Jazz lost at home for only the second time all season, and second time in 10 games overall.