James crumbled to the floor after the shot in obvious pain and with a bloody nose after taking an Ibaka hand to the face. He left the court with a towel covering his face.

James passed a concussion test but didn't talk to reporters after the Heat's victory, instead sitting in front of his locker with a towel draped over his head. The team was off Friday.

James has missed one game this season. The Heat won without him at Portland in December when he sat out because of a groin injury.

A model of durability during his 11-year career, James has never missed more than seven games in a season.

Miami trails Indiana by 1½ games for the Eastern Conference’s No. 1 seed.


MOVIE DEAL OR NOT?


Get ready for another LeBron James vs. Michael Jordan debate: Who was better in "Space Jam"? Or maybe not.

According to Deadline.com, James is in line to star in the sequel of the 1996 animated/live-action hoops-themed flick. The sons of longtime TV executive Dick Ebersol will produce and write the remake, Deadline reported.

Later in the evening, sources close to James told ESPN's Brian Windhorst, who goes back with James to his Cleveland days, that no movie is planned. Windhorst wrote on his Twitter account: "Well it was fun while it lasted. LeBron sources refute Deadline report, there's no Space Jam 2 or Warner Bros. project in works."

For those not familiar with the original by Warner Bros.: MJ and friends (including Larry Bird and Charles Barkley) help rescue Bugs Bunny's Looney Toons pals from intergalactic captors by winning an epic basketball game.

No idea yet what the Ebersols have in mind for King James.


HOW GRANGER DEAL HAPPENED


Danny Granger was long a Larry Bird favorite at Indiana, but Thursday’s trade of Granger to the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for Evan Turner and Lavoy Allen shows that even personal feelings have to be set aside to improve the team.

The Indianapolis Star reached Bird on Friday afternoon to get his thoughts on pulling the trigger on the deal. Bird said that the 76ers reached out regarding Turner about 30 minutes before the deadline, and the deal was done before 3 p.m.

"I am excited about it," Bird told The Star on Friday afternoon. "(But) all the trades are tough when you get rid of a player I've always admired and went through some tough times with us."

With the Pacers struggling lately, Indiana made the move to “try to stabilize that second unit,” Bird said.

"Obviously, Lavoy Allen's another big body that can play and Evan Turner—I like guys who can play multiple positions. You can talk all you want about how he can't hit an outside shot, can't do this. I always look at the positive side of it. I think he's a kid who can come in right away and help us."

Granger’s departure led some of his now-former teammates to express gratitude for their time with him.

“On a serious note upset day for me losing a big brother and mentor hate to see him leave us,” Pacers star Paul George said on Instagram. “You helped me so far along the way big bro! Still one of my toughest match ups.. Nothing but love for you geezy!”

Rasual Butler also expressed his admiration.

Indiana holds just a 1 ½-game lead over the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference standings.


GOODBYE, EARL


Earl Clark has become a casualty of the Spencer Hawes trade, as the 76ers released him Friday.

On Thursday, the Cavaliers traded Clark, Henry Sims and two second-round picks to Philadelphia in exchange for Hawes, the center who’s averaging 13 points and 8.5 rebounds.

Clark was averaging 5.2 points and 2.8 rebounds in 45 games (17 starts) for the Cavaliers.


GORDON GONE?


Ben Gordon was the Bobcats’ most expensive player and not a current member of their rotation. So Yahoo Sports’ report that the team is progressing toward a buyout with the 30-year-old should not be a surprise.

Gordon, in the final season of a five-year, $55 million deal, is making $13 million this season. He has seen action in only two games in the new year, and he’s now being seen as expendable with the acquisitions of Gary Neal and Luke Ridnour from the Bucks.

The Bobcats, just two seasons removed from winning seven games in a strike-shortened season, are currently the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference standings with defensive-minded coach Steve Clifford at the helm.

Contributors: Roger Kuznia, Tom Gatto and The Associated Press