Allen, Heat keep Lakers’ rally in check

NBA: LeBron James had 39 points and eight assists, Dwyane Wade added 27 points on his 31st birthday and the visiting Miami Heat held off the Los Angeles Lakers 99-90 Thursday night to finish the defending NBA champions’ six-game road trip at 3-3.

Ray Allen scored seven of his nine points in the final 5 minutes as the Heat repelled a late charge by the Lakers.

Kobe Bryant scored 13 of his 22 points in the fourth quarter for Los Angeles.

• Knicks win in London: Carmelo Anthony returned to his Olympic gold-medal past and scored 26 points to lead the New York Knicks to a 102-87 victory over the Detroit Pistons in London.

Anthony scored 18 in the first half as the Knicks (25-13) jumped out to a 16-2 lead before holding a double-digit lead for most of the game.

• Bryant gets record 15th straight All-Star start: Kobe Bryant has been voted to his NBA-record 15th consecutive All-Star start, and will lead Lakers teammate Dwight Howard and the Clippers’ Chris Paul and Blake Griffin, and Oklahoma City’s Kevin Durant in the Western Conference lineup for the Feb. 17 game in Houston.

Kevin Garnett gives the East two Boston Celtics and two Miami Heat players. LeBron James and Dwyane Wade will represent the defending champions and receive passes from Rajon Rondo. New York’s Carmelo Anthony is the other starter.

No. 5 Michigan beats No. 9 Minnesota

Miscellany: Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 21 points and Trey Burke had 18 points and nine assists to help No. 5 Michigan stave off No. 9 Minnesota 83-75 in Minneapolis in basketball.

• Seattle trades up in MLS draft: The Seattle Sounders traded up in the first round of the Major League Soccer SuperDraft to select Indiana forward Eriq Zavaleta, and then addressed defensive depth by taking Brown defender Dylan Remick in the second round.

Louisville defender Andrew Farrell was selected by the New England Revolution with the top pick.

• O’Brien wins Bear Bryant Award: Penn State football coach Bill O’Brien won the Paul “Bear” Bryant College Coach of the Year Award.

O’Brien led the Nittany Lions through an 0-2 start and NCAA sanctions to an 8-4 finish in his first season at Penn State.

• Vilma’s defamation suit against Goodell dismissed: A federal judge has dismissed New Orleans Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma’s defamation lawsuit against NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell in connection with the bounty case.

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello says Goodell has no comment on Thursday’s ruling by Berrigan.

Nats sign reliever Soriano for two years

MLB: The N.L. East champion Washington Nationals have signed right-handed reliever Rafael Soriano to a $28 million, two-year contract that includes $14 million in deferred money.

• Harrison, Rangers finalize deal: The Rangers finalized a $55 million, five-year contract with All-Star lefty Matt Harrison. The deal includes a 2018 club option that could become guaranteed depending on the number of innings Harrison pitches.

• A-Rod cartilage damage minimal: A person familiar with the diagnosis says Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez was found to have relatively minimal cartilage damage in his left hip during surgery this week. New York said recovery time is six months.

• Yankees, Chamerblain avoid arbitration: Reliever Joba Chamberlain and the New York Yankees have agreed to a one-year contract worth $1,875,000, avoiding salary arbitration.

• Venable, Padres agree: Outfielder Will Venable and the San Diego Padres have avoided salary arbitration by agreeing to a one-year contract worth $2,675,000, a raise of $1.2 million.

• U.S. WBC roster announced: Toronto’s R.A. Dickey, Milwaukee’s Ryan Braun, Miami’s Giancarlo Stanton, the Yankees’ Mark Teixeira and the Mets’ David Wright are among 27 players on the U.S. World Baseball Classic roster. The roster also includes Joe Mauer and Jimmy Rollins, and the bullpen is headed by Atlanta’s Craig Kimbrel.

Seattle pitcher Felix Hernandez will represent Venezuela.

McIlroy struggles as Donaldson takes lead

Golf: Unheralded Jamie Donaldson outshone struggling Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods at the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship, in the United Arab Emirates, shooting an opening-round 5-under 67 for the early clubhouse lead.

McIlroy finished 3-over 75 and risks missing the cut.

• Mickelson opens season at Humana Challenge: Phil Mickelson opened his season with an erratic even-par 72 in the Humana Challenge in La Quinta, Calif., leaving him nine strokes behind leaders Jason Kokrak, Roberto Castro and James Hahn.