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Heat hoping to end slump against Bulls

Feb 12, 2009 - 11:23 AM Miami (27-24) at Chicago (23-29) 7:00 p.m. EST

CHICAGO (Ticker) -- The last time the Miami Heat faced the Chicago Bulls, they were in the midst of a winning streak. Perhaps the return engagement will resurrect those ways.

The slumping Heat try to get back on track when they visit the Bulls on Thursday.

Behind four 3-pointers from Daequan Cook, three in the fourth quarter alone, and 28 points from Dwyane Wade, Miami forged a 90-77 triumph over the Bulls on December 26. The victory pushed the Heat's win streak to four games, equaling the surge they put together to begin December.

However, Miami has won back-to-back games just twice since then and has dropped three of four games overall, including a 99-82 loss to the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday.

Wade went for 33 points and seven boards in the losing effort for the Heat, who sit in sixth place in the East, a half-game behind the Detroit Pistons (27-23).

The Bulls earned their second win in three games with a 107-102 victory over the Pistons on Tuesday.

Ben Gordon finished with 24 points, converting a four-point play with 17 seconds left to cap a late comeback, and rookie Derrick Rose added 23 for Chicago, which honored legendary announcer Johnny "Red" Kerr at halftime.