NEW YORK, N.Y. - His opponent couldnt stop him, and LeBron James didnt quite know what to think when his coach tried. Erik Spoelstra asked James about taking a fourth-quarter rest, but the game was too important to sit. So the answer was no — just not said so politely. "He asked me and I didnt know if he was serious or not, and what I told him I cannot say again," James said. "So I wanted to finish out the game. I felt like it was a must-win for us." James tied his playoff career high with 49 points, Chris Bosh made the tiebreaking 3-pointer with 57 seconds left, and the Miami Heat beat the Brooklyn Nets 102-96 Monday night for a 3-1 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinals. James carried the Heat nearly the entire way until Bosh hit the basket that put Miami ahead for good — a play where James resisted the temptation to force a shot, instead passing to Mario Chalmers, who swung it to a wide-open Bosh. Ray Allen followed with four free throws and James finished it off with one more, putting the Heat in position to wrap it up at home Wednesday in Game 5. James was 16 of 24 from the field and 14 of 19 from the free throw line in matching the 49 points he scored for Cleveland against Orlando in the 2009 Eastern Conference finals. He missed his second free throw with 1.1 seconds left, muttering to himself after. "Thats the first time Ive been disappointed in myself in a win," James said before smiling, realizing his performance left nothing to complain about. "He was what was needed on the road and thats what makes him the best player in the game," Spoelstra said. Joe Johnson scored 18 points for the Nets, who were 15 of 25 from 3-point range in their Game 3 victory but only 5 of 22 in this one. Paul Pierce added 16 points. "This is very difficult to swallow," Nets centre Kevin Garnett said. "Hard to take, but its what it is. Coulda, shoulda, woulda doesnt help us at this point." Dwyane Wade scored 15 points on the night his Heat post-season record of 46 points was shattered. Bosh finished with 12. Miami pulled out a thrilling victory in a game in which neither team led by double digits and has won at least one road game in 14 straight series, breaking the record set by the Chicago Bulls from 1991-94. Garnetts two free throws tied it with 2:30 remaining. Bosh then missed a pair of 3-pointers before getting a third crack at it in the corner in front of the Brooklyn bench for a 97-94 lead. Johnson then missed a jumper while trying to draw James sixth foul — Johnson said afterward James "flopped" — and Allens free throws put it away. "Obviously the series is not over but we really have to have some urgency going to Miami and weve got to come out of there with one," Johnson said. Wade scored 46 points against Boston in the 2010 playoffs, and James best in a Heat uniform had also come against the Celtics, his memorable 45-point performance that saved Miamis season in Game 6 of the 2012 Eastern Conference finals. Pierce, who asked to guard James after Game 1, was on the wrong end of this LeBron masterpiece. James and the Heat had shrugged off a couple days of chatter from Pierce, who said the Nets werent afraid of them. But things were testy at the start, with first-quarter technical fouls for James, Pierce, Shane Battier and Alan Anderson. Miami started quickly again and led 27-22 after one behind 12 points from James. He opened the second on the bench and Brooklyn started with a 9-2 spurt to take its first lead at 31-29. James was a force once he returned — especially after a second foul against him seemed to get James more annoyed than any of Pierces talking did. James gave Pierce a glare after a thunderous slam later in the period, when he had 13 points in 7 1/2 minutes, and the Heat led 56-49. James had 13 straight Miami points in the third, but Brooklyn cut it to one on a few occasions before he made a pair of free throws to give Miami a 79-76 lead. NOTES: Mirza Teletovic was held to four points and missed all three 3-point attempts. He had been 11 of 19 in the series, Wade saying before the game it was "red alert" when he entered. ... As they have during post-season home games, the Nets had a Brooklyn-based entertainer announce their starting lineups. On Monday it was Mike D of the Beastie Boys. Denzel Washington, Spike Lee and Floyd Mayweather Jr. were also in the crowd. Puma Sneakers Australia . Rajon Rondo had 18 of Bostons season-high 38 assists and the Celtics committed just seven turnovers in a 118-111 win over the Detroit Pistons on Sunday night. Puma Shoes Australia . The Tournament of Champions, which starts Friday, is his first event since a freak accident in Shanghai two months ago. Snedeker was on a Segway scooter during a corporate outing at Sheshan International when he took a tumble and injured his left knee. http://www.wholesalepumaaustralia.com/ . Viewers in the Jets region can watch the game on TSN Jets at 6:30pm ct/7:30pm et. The game is also avialable on TSN Radio 1290 in Winnipeg at 7pm ct. Puma Mens Australia .com) - The Oklahoma City Thunder will try to get back on track Monday night when they welcome the Minnesota Timberwolves to Chesapeake Energy Arena. Puma Australia Sale .com) - The Vancouver Canucks recovered from a fluke goal early last time out to knock off one of the top teams in the league.CALGARY - Elisabeth Vathjes strong start in World Cup skeleton turned torrid as she won her first gold medal in just her second race.The 20-year-old Calgarian was the fastest woman down her home track Friday at Canada Olympic Park. She earned a silver medal last week in her World Cup debut in Lake Placid, N.Y.Vathje stood up in the tracks outrun, danced a little jig and hugged her boyfriend Donovan Klassen after completing her second run Friday.She posted a two-run time of one minute 55.31 seconds to beat runner-up Laura Deas of Britain by just over three-tenths of a second.Vathjes parents Jeff and Rita, her brother Brandon and friends from her church were also trackside to celebrate.Its incredible, Vathje said. To be home, to be around these people who have seen me grow up . . . its truly amazing.There was a huge group of people and they were excited to see this in real life, to see what I do and see such great results.Tina Hermann of Germany was third in 1:55.64. Vathje led after the first heat and a quick start time in her second run helped seal the victory.Vathje (pronounced VAT-chee) leads the overall World Cup standings with two medals in as many races. The next stop on the circuit is Jan. 5-11 in Altenberg, Germany,Reigning Olympic womens champion Elizabeth Yarnold of Britain beat Vathje for gold in Lake Placid, but Yarnold didnt race in Calgary because of dizziness she experienced in those first races.Concussions are an issue in skeleton because athletes heads can make hard contact with the track and also because of the constant shaking of their heads on the way down.The Dukurs brothers from Latvia duked it out for gold and silver in the mens race Friday. Olympic silver medallist Martins Dukurs prevailed in one minute 51.06 seconds for his second straight win. Tomass Dukurs was second in 1:51.96Sungbin Yun of South Korea earned bronze for his countrys first World Cup medal in a sliding sport.This is good for the sport, getting more and more countries on the podium, Tomass Dukurs said.Vathje took up skeleton at the relatively young age of 14. Shes a seasoned rookie after seven years of sliding on the developmental circuits.She says a combination of factors contributed to her hot start, but the key components are a new sled designed by Richard Bromley of Britain and finding corporate sponsors to help her pursue her dreams.Her $10,000 sled is almost a full second faster than her former model.Its really cool to have that technology and be able to race on it, Vathje said. Its a fast sled and Im excited to see whatt it can do the rest of the year.dddddddddddd.Its pretty too. Thats what I tell everybody. Theyre like really, out of everything you say, its pretty? Im like yeah, its pretty.Look good, feel good, race good.Vathje recalled finishing dead last at her first world junior championships at age 16 in Park City, Utah.It was pretty devastating, she said. Its like are you kidding me? Why am I in this sport? Why am I doing it?My ultimate goal is to stand atop the podium in Pyeongchang, to represent Canada.I want to be able to show these girls who are watching me that they have worth, to show them theres something more than getting their worth from boys, or worth from things that arent valuable. Show them theres more to them than what they see.Lanette Prediger of Calgary was seventh and Madison Charney of Brooks, Alta., placed 10th in the womens race.Dave Greszczyszyn of Brampton, Ont., tied for eighth among the men. Calgarians Barrett Martineau and Greg Rafter didnt qualify for the second mens heat.The skeleton teams Own The Podium funding dropped from an annual average of $876,250 from 2010 to 2014 to $20,000 for 2014-15. Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton pays for athletes travel, accommodation and meals at competitions and also the salary of one coach Ivo Pakalns.Vathje bears the cost of her other coaches Bromley and Charles Wlodarczak, her strength and conditioning coach Rob Gray and her equipment. So corporate sponsorship has been another major piece in her early success this winter.Its kind of difficult but because of these people who were able to step up into my life and say we are going to support you, we are Team Vathje, we want to see you succeed it allows me to not have to work in the summer, she said.When you work in the summer, its not conducive to good training, its not conducive to good working. It allows that freedom be compete at my best.Vathjes runs werent entirely smooth. Her experience on the Calgary track may have helped her compensate for bumping the side walls, according to Mellisa Hollingsworth, the 2006 Olympic bronze medallist who provided television commentary Friday.Shes fast at the top, Hollingsworth said. Shes new to the World Cup, but shes been here for six years. Lake Placid, Calgary, the tracks shes travelled to, shes got a good amount of experience. This is just a little bit different experience.Mens two-man bobsled was scheduled for later Friday at COP. Olympic womens bobsled champion Kaillie Humphries will race Saturday and will also make her World Cup debut piloting a four-man sled. ' ' '