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December 8, 2010

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Heat stretch run with Bucks win

THE Miami Heat are starting to look more like the elite team many envisioned as they defeated the Milwaukee Bucks 88-78 on Monday for their fifth straight win.

Dwyane Wade had a team-high 25 points and a career-high 14 rebounds while LeBron James added 17 points as the Heat continued to play inspired defense in achieving their longest winning streak of the season.

Miami (14-8) fell well short of the expectations created when James and Chris Bosh signed with the Heat to join fellow All-Star Wade, but have found their rhythm since a players-only meeting a week ago.

In the opener of a four-game road trip, the Heat never trailed and held the Bucks to 34 percent shooting from the field.

"That's what it's about and that (defense) is the identity of the team," Wade told reporters. "Offensively we can't control if the ball is going to go in or not. We still have to get the stops."

Corey Maggette had 20 points to lead Milwaukee, which fell to 7-13 on the season.

The Heat led by 13 points late in the third but the Bucks trimmed it down to 74-71 midway through the fourth. Miami answered with three straight baskets from James, Wade and Bosh, who finished with 16 points and 12 rebounds.

"There was a mental toughness to this win for us that I'm not sure we would have been able to pull this out earlier in the year," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said.

In Orlando, Florida, Josh Smith had 19 points and 13 rebounds, and Mike Bibby made a critical 3-pointer in the final minute as the Atlanta Hawks beat the Magic 80-74.

Al Horford added 16 points and 10 rebounds for the Hawks, winners of six of seven. Jamal Crawford had 15 points and Bibby finished with 13.

In New York, Amare Stoudemire scored 34 points to lead surging the Knicks 121-114 past the Minnesota Timberwolves for its fifth straight victory.

Elsewhere in NBA, it was: Bulls 99, Thunder 90; Jazz 94, Grizzlies 85; and Pacers 124, Raptors 100.


 

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