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Heat top Bucks, extend win streak to five

Dec 7, 2010 - 6:43 AM Milwaukee, WI (Sports Network) - Dwyane Wade scored a game-high 25 points and grabbed 14 rebounds, as the Miami Heat earned their fifth straight win by defeating the Milwaukee Bucks, 88-78, at Bradley Center.

Carlos Arroyo added 18 points, while LeBron James finished with 17 points, six rebounds and six assists for Miami, which is 6-1 since a three-game losing streak dropped the Eastern Conference favorites to 8-7 on November 24. Chris Bosh posted a double-double with 16 points and 12 boards in the victory.

Corey Maggette had a team-best 20 points for the Bucks, who earned a 96-85 win over Orlando on Saturday and have lost eight of their last 10. Brandon Jennings donated 13 points in defeat.

"We had difficulties all night," Bucks head coach Scott Skiles said. "We had [opportunities], we just couldn't get them to go down."

The Bucks cut into a 74-61 deficit early in the fourth quarter, as Ersan Ilyasova's short jumper capped a 10-0 run to get within three.

However, James and Wade answered with back-to-back jumpers for a 78-71 game with 5:03 remaining.

After Miami went up by nine on Bosh's reverse layup, Maggette responded with a three-point play for a six-point contest, 80-74, with 2:30 left.

Again Wade came through, hitting a long two-pointer a short time later, and the Heat held on down the stretch.

"We understand that it takes defense to win," Wade said. "That's our identity as a team."

Wade scored eight points in the opening quarter to help the Heat grab a modest 25-21 lead after 12 minutes.

After the Bucks got two quick baskets to tie things early in the second, Bosh's jumper started an 11-0 Heat run. James Jones' three-pointer finished it off for a 36-25 advantage with 7:14 before the half, and Miami led 46-35 heading into the locker room.

Milwaukee cut a 14-point deficit down to four, 51-47, after Andrew Bogut's tip-in near the midway point of the third quarter, but an 8-2 burst put the Heat back up by double-digits, 59-49, after James' dunk with 3:42 left.

Maggette hit a trey just prior to the third quarter buzzer to make it 69-59.

Game Notes

Miami improved to 4-5 on the road this season...Bogut finished with 11 points and 13 rebounds, while Larry Sanders contributed 10 points for the Bucks, who shot 34.6 percent from the field...The Heat made 48.6 percent of their shots.