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Heat vie to regroup in home test versus Bucks

Nov 12, 2013 - 3:48 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - The Miami Heat hope to shake off a rare home loss when they get back to work Tuesday versus the Milwaukee Bucks.

The Heat sustained a tough 111-110 loss to the Boston Celtics on Saturday in the second contest of a four-game homestand. Heat guard Dwyane Wade could've iced it at the free-throw line. He was trying to miss on purpose to run out the 0.6 seconds remaining on the clock, but air-balled the shot.

"It wasn't one of our better hours," Wade said.

The ensuing violation gave the ball to Boston at half-court and Jeff Green sank a 3-pointer in the face of LeBron James to win it. Green led the way with 24 points against Miami.

James paced the hosts with 25 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds, while Chris Bosh and Wade finished with 20 and 18 points, respectively, for Miami, which shot 57.7 percent for the game and made just 5-of-10 3-pointers. The Heat had won eight in a row and 25 of their last 26 regular season games at home dating back to last season.

The two-time defending champion Heat had won three in a row. They have scored at least 100 points in each of the first seven games this season, the longest streak to begin a campaign in franchise history.

Miami, which will close this homestand Friday versus Dallas, is averaging 105.1 points per game, but is allowing 100.9 ppg on defense. The Heat, though, are one of the top 3-point shooting teams at 43.3 percent.

Milwaukee has alternated wins and losses through five games this season and is coming off Saturday's 91-83 loss to Monta Ellis and the Dallas Mavericks. Ellis burned his former Milwaukee teammates for 18 points and five assists.

Former Mav O.J. Mayo poured in 28 points and Caron Butler tallied 19 to go along with 13 rebounds for the Bucks, who committed 20 turnovers for 20 Dallas points and shot just 38.3 percent. The Bucks trailed 34-19 after the first quarter and eventually made it interesting in the fourth stanza, trailing by only two points. But Ellis and Dallas were able to pull away.

"Guys definitely do get jacked up for it," Bucks coach Larry Drew said of the players facing their former teams. "When you're going against your old team, you play to try to prove something. Sometimes it can work for you, sometimes it can work against you."

Mayo scored 28 points for the second straight game.

The Bucks were without center Larry Sanders (thumb) and forward Ersan Ilyasova (ankle) for a second straight contest. Sanders is expected to miss about six weeks and inked a $44 million extension with the Bucks over the summer. Ilyasova is probable Tuesday night.

Milwaukee will open a three-game road trip in south Florida, then is slated to visit Orlando and Indiana. The Bucks could use some continued help inside on defense and are allowing only 96.0 ppg.

Miami took three of four meetings from Milwaukee last season and has won eight of the past 12 contests in this series.