Streaking Heat crush Bucks 110-71
(Agencies)
Updated: 2005-03-15 16:06

Securing the top seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs appears to be little more than a formality. Now, Dwyane Wade and the Miami Heat are focused on the best record in the NBA.

Miami Heat's Shaquille O'Neal (32) scores as Milwaukee Bucks' Desmond Mason, left, watches, in the second quarter Monday, March 14, 2005 in Miami. [AP]

Wade scored 29 points on 10-of-12 shooting in just 26 minutes, Shaquille O'Neal added 21 points and the Heat led by as many as 40 points in their 110-71 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday night — a win that moved Miami into a virtual tie with Phoenix and San Antonio for the league's top overall record.

It was the largest victory margin of the season for Miami (49-16), which has won a league-best nine straight overall and 13 in a row at home. Phoenix and San Antonio are both 48-15. San Antonio routed New Orleans on Monday night, and Phoenix was idle.

The Heat aren't just beating teams these days — they're turning games into routs. Miami has held leads of at least 17 points in each of its last eight games, and has won its last nine by an average of 17.6 points.

Damon Jones added 15 points for Miami, which won its three previous meetings with Milwaukee this season by an average of merely 4.3 points. Eddie Jones had 10 for the Heat, 8 1/2 games ahead of Detroit in the East race.

Michael Redd had 14 points for Milwaukee, which lost for the eighth time in its last 10 road games. Marcus Fizer added 11 for the Bucks.

The Heat have held six of their last seven opponents to 90 points or less; Milwaukee shot just 32.1 percent, while the Heat shot 55.4 percent.

Miami led 21-19 late in the first quarter, before pulling away with a 17-7 run over a 5-minute stretch. Wade had 11 of Miami's points during the burst, including a three-point play and a jumper a 27-second span to give the Heat a 38-26 lead with 9:25 left in the half.

Wade had 21 points at that point, only five fewer than Milwaukee.

He didn't score again in the half; Miami didn't need him to, either.

The Heat closed the half on a 9-0 run to build a 60-37 lead, and the outcome was never again in doubt. Miami shot 60.5 percent in the half compared to Milwaukee's 31.6 percent, and the 23-point lead was the Heat's second-largest at the break this season.

Alonzo Mourning's jumper with 7:53 left gave Miami a 102-62 lead, matching the Heat's largest margin of the season; they led New Orleans by 40 points in January. Mourning had eight points in nine minutes — his best totals since rejoining the Heat.

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