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Mar 30, 2010 - 9:00 PM By BRETT HUSTON STATS Writer

Miami (40-34) at Detroit (23-50), 7:30 p.m. EDT

Five wins in a row have the Miami Heat gaining confidence as they attempt to bolster their playoff position, and a trip to Detroit doesn't figure to slow them down.

It certainly didn't during their latest visit.

Miami has already left The Palace with a 27-point victory and can capture a sixth straight win for the first time in more than three years Wednesday night while sending the Pistons to a ninth consecutive defeat.

The Heat (40-34) began March in ninth place in the Eastern Conference but will finish the month no worse than sixth.

Miami has won 11 of 14, rallying from a late 11-point deficit to beat Toronto 97-94 on Sunday. Dwyane Wade finished with 32 points and Udonis Haslem scored 11 of his 23 in the fourth quarter.

"The best part about this win was the fact things were not going our way and in the first half we were not mentally strong," coach Erik Spoelstra said. "We were able to grind it out all the way to the end and our two captains (Wade and Haslem) were simply tremendous."

Miami hasn't won six straight since a nine-game run Feb. 28-March 16, 2007.

Wade had 22 points and Haslem 16 when Miami visited the Pistons (23-50) on Jan. 29, but they were still the game's highest scorers. Detroit scored 42 points after the first quarter in a 92-65 loss.

"After a performance like (that), there's just a loss of words," guard Ben Gordon said following that defeat, one of the Pistons' nine losses by at least 20 since Dec. 23. "I don't know why we're not able to go out there and at least give 100 percent effort, regardless of whatever else happens."

The Heat have held their last five opponents to 80.4 points per game and 35.7 percent shooting, and have an excellent chance to catch fifth-seeded Milwaukee over the next two weeks. Every remaining opponent on Miami's schedule - it'll host Detroit on April 9 - has at least 47 losses.

The Pistons have yielded an average of 110.0 points during their eight-game losing streak while allowing opponents to shoot 53.9 percent. Chicago shot 54.9 percent Sunday in a 110-103 win at The Palace.

"We have to be on a string with everything we do and when we have slippage, people make us pay," coach John Kuester told the NBA's official Web site. "... We just don't have the defensive mindset that I want right now."

Part of Detroit's defensive woes are due to the absence of Ben Wallace, who's missed 12 of the last 13 games with a knee injury and is doubtful to return this season.

In a season full of injury woes, the Pistons also had Richard Hamilton and Rodney Stuckey suffer sprained ankles against the Bulls.

While Stuckey is expected to play against Miami, Hamilton is listed as questionable.

The Heat have won four straight over the Pistons, with Wade averaging 30.7 points and 8.3 assists in playing three of those.