Florida Sentinel Bulletin

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ATLANTA — A lawyer for a woman who says Michael Jordan fathered her teenage son has withdrawn her paternity suit, but left open the possibility that it could be refiled.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 Kessler said the lawsuit was withdrawn Friday without prejudice, meaning it can be refiled.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.

How he fits: Re-signing Talib, the team’s top corner, was considered a key factor in the Patriots’ title hopes for next season. He made the most of his opportunity with New England after he was acquired in a trade with Tampa Bay on Nov. 1. He brought stability and shutdown ability to a struggling Patriots secondary. Talib has the size (6-1, 205) and skills to match up against top receivers—and that’s exactly what he’ll be asked to do in 2013.

His ability to match up one-on-one takes pressure off the rest of the secondary and allows the team to be more aggressive in blitz packages.

The New England Patriots have let go of wide receiver Brandon Lloyd after the veteran played just one season with the franchise.

The Patriots announced the news through their official website. Lloyd joined New England last offseason when the team signed him to a three-year deal worth $12 million. He finished his 2012 campaign with 74 catches for 911 yards and four touchdowns.

The Boston Globe’s Greg A. Bedard believes that the Patriots are still in the running to keep Lloyd for next season: The 31-year-old has been a journeyman throughout his career, and the Pats were his sixth team. He found a significant amount of success while playing for Josh McDaniels, with his best season coming in 2010.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers spent the No. 7 pick in last April’s draft on safety Mark Barron.

Wednesday, they found him some help in the secondary, agreeing to a five-year deal with former 49er Dashon Goldson. The Buccaneers headed into free agency with upwards of $30 million available under the cap, coupled with a need to improve on a pass defense that was worst in the league last season.

Goldson certainly should help with the latter — and it was that extra cash that helped pry him away from San Francisco. Goldson reportedly received a five-year deal worth $41.25 million, $22 million of which will be guaranteed. For the Bucs, with all that money to spend, Goldson’s contract may not cause too much stress. However, that $8.25 million per-year average is the third-highest number for any safety in the league.

Can Goldson live up to that contract?

While Goldson, who will turn 29 in mid-September, picked off 14 passes over the past four season in San Francisco, he struggled down the stretch in coverage — particularly in the NFC title game against Atlanta.

Tampa Bay will need him to be much better than that to free up Barron. And it’s worth pointing out that Tampa Bay’s cornerbacks remain a relative weak spot, increasing the pressure on Goldson deep.

That said, Goldson often did yeoman’s work for the 49ers, both before and during 2012. He absolutely upgrades Tampa Bay’s defense.