Florida Sentinel Bulletin

The Miami Heat were without Dwyane Wade, but had no trouble extending their historic winning streak to 26 games on Sunday night with a 109-77 home win over the Charlotte Bobcats.

Surprise, surprise.

LeBron James paced the way with a classic performance: 32 points (11-of-14 shooting), eight rebounds, 10 assists, three steals and three blocks.

If you’re looking for the 2013 version of Adrian Peterson, look no further than Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III.

RGIII may not break every record in the book and win the MVP in unbelievable fashion, but he, much like Peterson did, is quickly proving that normal rehabilitation rules don’t apply to him.

According to Dr. James Andrews, who operated on Griffin in early January, the dynamic quarterback’s recovery is going more than swimmingly. “I’ve been real mum on talking too much about RGIII. He wants his recovery to be fairly private, but I can tell you he’s way ahead of schedule. His recovery has been unbelievable so far.”

Mark Duper, a former player for the Miami Dolphins, was arrested earlier in the week for attacking his son three times in a day, and now faces a felony abuse charge.

The fights took place at the former NFL player’s Florida home. The one-time wide receiver has since been released from custody, after posting $5,000 bail. Duper reportedly beat up his 17-year-old son, Marcus, knocking the teen out twice. While he has admitted to the assault, the 54-year-old claims that it was all done in self-defense.

“This is a family matter,” Duper told the Miami Herald. “This is not an open book. I have to deal with this within my own family.” The argument reportedly stemmed from a text message the youngster sent to his ex-girlfriend. He was punched by Duper because he “wouldn’t listen about picking up his hat.”

According to police, Duper picked the boy up and slammed him several times, which led to him losing consciousness. The boy eventually ran outside, crashed his bike at his father’s car, and got punched in the face. He also fell off the bike. “Once [the victim] went to the ground on his stomach, Mark climbed on top of [him] grabbed [him] by the neck and began choking,” read the police report.

A sheriff deputy arrested Duper after seeing the boy’s injuries, which included several scratches, a bump on his forehead, plus a cut and swollen lip.

CLEVELAND — Miami’s winning streak was in danger of disappearing — in Cleveland, of all places. But LeBron James wouldn’t give up.

“That guy right there doesn’t want to lose in this building,” teammate Dwyane Wade said, nodding toward James, who left many angry Cavaliers fans behind when he bolted for Miami as a free agent three years ago.

James scored 25 points as the Heat overcame a 27-point deficit in the third quarter and won their 24th straight game, 98-95 over the short-handed Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday night to extend the second-longest winning streak in NBA history. The Heat are within nine games of matching the record of 33 consecutive wins held by the 1971-72 Los Angeles Lakers. Once believed to be untouchable, the mark is now within reach.

James and his teammates have insisted the record isn’t one of their goals, and for more than 30 minutes the defending champions seemed disinterested and on the verge of losing for the first time since Feb. 1. Miami trailed 67-40 with 7:44 left in the third quarter. But behind the irrepressible James, who added 12 rebounds and 10 assists in 42 minutes, the Heat inched closer to history and matched the NBA’s biggest comeback this season.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers lost another defensive player Wednesday when cornerback E.J. Biggers agreed to terms with the Washington Redskins. Biggers played three seasons with the Bucs and started 12 games last season. The Redskins have been looking for replacements for starter DeAngelo Hall.

ATLANTA — A lawyer for a woman who says Michael Jordan fathered her teenage son has withdrawn her paternity suit, but left open the possibility that it could be refiled.

Pamela Smith “stands by the facts alleged in her original filing,” Atlanta attorney Randall Kessler told The Associated Press on Monday. Kessler said the lawsuit was withdrawn Friday without prejudice, meaning it can be refiled. Smith filed the suit herself last month against Jordan and asked that the basketball hall of famer take a paternity test and pay child support. She later hired Kessler’s firm.

Jordan has denied that he’s the father of Smith’s 16-year-old son. A lawyer for the majority owner of the NBA’s Charlotte Bobcats has said Smith’s divorce filings established her ex-husband as the father. Jordan’s spokeswoman Estee Portnoy on Monday confirmed that Smith dismissed the paternity suit. Portnoy said there was no settlement or money paid to Smith. She said the lawsuit had no merit.

Kessler previously said the ex-husband hasn’t paid child support or been involved in the teen’s life.

EASTON, Pennsylvania — Former heavyweight boxing champion Larry Holmes is recovering at home in eastern Pennsylvania after he was hospitalized for two days because of high blood sugar.

The 63-year-old Holmes was admitted to St. Luke’s Hospital after his blood sugar spiked. He says he had felt lightheaded and drowsy and his doctor sent him to the hospital.

He returned to his Palmer Township home Thursday afternoon and says he’s taking medication and following his doctor’s instructions to lose weight and eat right. He says blood sugar problems run in his family.

Holmes grew up in Easton and was heavyweight champion from 1978 to 1985.

Michael Bennett originally said he’d give the Tampa Bay Buccaneers a chance to match any offer he received in free agency. Then he signed with the Seattle Seahawks without saying a word to his previous team. Best of the rest: Top available free agents Take a look at the best remaining free agents and see where they might land.

“They acted like they didn’t want me, so no, I didn’t go back to them,” Bennett told Tampa Tribune reporter Roy Cummings on Friday. “I just didn’t feel any love from them at all. And that’s kind of disappointing, because for a team that you put everything you had into for four years to do that, you’re just kind of, ‘OK, whatever.’

“You do everything you can to grow as a player and get better as a player and you prove yourself over and over again for them, but I guess that’s just who they are.” Bennett led the Bucs with nine sacks and three forced fumbles last season. The defensive end added a career-high 41 tackles.

The Bucs lost another starter when defensive tackle Roy Miller signed a two-year contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Bennett agreed to a one-year, $5 million deal with the Seahawks in hopes of finding a more fruitful market in 2014.

MIAMI — NFL free agent Donte Stallworth was hospitalized Saturday with serious burns after the hot air balloon carrying him and two other people crashed into power lines above South Florida, his agent said.

The 10-year NFL veteran won’t suffer any permanent damage from the accident in Homestead, said Drew Rosenhaus, Stallworth’s agent. “He’s going to be OK. He has some burns, but he’s going to be fine,” Rosenhaus said. “He will be able to continue his NFL career. The injuries are not to the extent they will jeopardize his career.” Rosenhaus said one of the passengers was Stallworth’s girlfriend, but he would not say whether she was hurt.