NBA Playoffs 2014 Bracket, Schedule, and Recap: Miami Heat Takes 3-1 Lead as LeBron James Drops 49; Portland Trail Blazers Stay Alive [Video]

By Paul John Rivera May 13 2014, 12:10 PM EDT

LeBron James scored a playoff career-high 49 points to lead the Miami Heat to a 102-96 win over the Brooklyn Nets on Monday night at the Barclays Center in New York.

James was unstoppable all-night long, shooting 16-for-24 from the field and 14-for-19 from the free throw line, giving the defending champions a 3-1 lead in their second-round series.

The four-time MVP had a chance to record his first 50-point playoff game, but he missed a free throw with one second left in the game. James matched his 49-point performance during the 2009 Eastern Conference finals.

Dwyane Wade added 15 points, while Chris Bosh finished with 12 points, including a tiebreaking 3-pointer with 57 seconds left in the game.

The Nets failed to find their rhythm from beyond the arc, shooting just 5-for-22 from the three-point region. Brooklyn shot 15-for-25 from the 3-point region during their 104-90 win in game three.

The Heat will look to wrap up the series on Wednesday at the American Airlines Arena in Miami and move one step closer to winning their third-straight NBA title.

Portland Trail Blazers Stave Off Elimination

Meanwhile, the Portland Trail Blazers avoided elimination after cruising to a 103-92 win in game four of their second-round series against the San Antonio Spurs at the Moda Center in Portland.

Nicolas Batum had a solid night for Portland, racking up 14 points, 14 rebounds and eight assists, while sophomore guard Damian Lillard led the team with 25 points to go along with five assists and four rebounds.

No team has comeback from a 3-0 hole in NBA history, but Batum expressed belief that they have what it takes to make history this season.

"Why not us? No, it's never been done before," Batum said via ESPN. "We know it's going to be tough. It won't be easy, especially against this team."

Portland will look to extend the series anew on Wednesday night, but the Spurs, who are looking for their third-straight conference finals appearance, are expected to go all out and end the series at home.