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Jennings, Bucks rally past Heat

Feb 2, 2012 - 6:43 AM Milwaukee, WI (Sports Network) - Milwaukee trailed by as many as 18 in the second quarter, but Brandon Jennings scored 20 of his 31 points in the second half as the Bucks rallied to take a 105-97 victory over the Miami Heat at the Bradley Center.

Jennings made five of his seven three-pointers in the second half and Drew Gooden scored 12 of his 17 points in the fourth quarter as the Bucks closed out a perfect three-game homestand.

LeBron James scored a season-high 40 points, including 24 in the first quarter, but it was not enough for the Heat to avoid having their five-game win streak snapped.

"We didn't execute our offense," Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra said. "Our carelessness with the ball allowed them to get back in the game."

Milwaukee trailed 60-47 at the break, but opened the third quarter with a 13-2 run to close the gap to two, 62-60. Jennings hit two three-pointers in the spurt, in which Miami went 1-for-5 from the floor and turned the ball over three times.

That's as close as the Bucks would get in the frame, though, as Dwyane Wade scored the next seven points for the Heat, followed by eight consecutive points for James as Miami kept Milwaukee at arm's length for the remainder of the third.

However, the Bucks scored the final four points of the third as part of a 9-0 run that stretched into the fourth, giving Milwaukee an 81-79 advantage for its first lead since early in the first quarter on Jennings' short floater.

A Chris Bosh layup tied the game up, but that would be the last time Miami would be in contention as Jennings caught fire in a 17-1 run by the Bucks. The second-year pro hit three shots from beyond the arc in the game-changing run that saw the Heat score on just one James free throw.

"Brandon was great," Bucks head coach Scott Skiles said of his point guard. "When we needed big shots he was able to knock them down."

Miami did not get any closer than eight points over the final 4 1/2 minutes of regulation.

James made 8-of-9 shots from the floor in the first quarter, including going 3-for-3 from beyond the arc, as the Heat shot 82.4 percent in the opening frame and made all five of their three-pointers en route to a 40-23 lead after one.

Miami's shooting cooled down in the second quarter, going 7-for-18, and the Bucks scored 18 of their 20 second-quarter points in the paint to take a 13- point deficit into the break.

Game Notes

Wade finished with 23 points, eight rebounds and six assists for the Heat. His six assists gave him 1,005 helpers for his career...Milwaukee has taken three straight against Miami, including two this season...Miami turned the ball over 18 times, leading to 22 Milwaukee points...The Bucks outscored the Heat in the paint, 44-30.