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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME FLOW
MIAMI (AP) -- With the Heat looking to avenge their worst loss of
the season, this one was over almost before it started.
|  | | Brian Grant led six Heat players in double-figures scoring with 22 points. |
Brian Grant scored 22 points to lead six players in double figures as the Miami Heat rolled to a 109-81 win over the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday night.
The Bulls, who have a league-low 11 wins, dropped their 21st straight road game and eighth straight overall.
The mismatch was in place even before tipoff. The Heat, playing
on three days' rest, were looking to avenge an 89-82 loss at
Chicago in February. The Bulls, who lost at home on Tuesday against
Orlando, were without leading scorer Elton Brand.
"They were shorthanded across the board and we took advantage
of it," Heat coach Pat Riley said. "We played well from the
beginning. We tried to run more and push the ball more. "
The Heat's 28-point margin of victory was their largest of the
season at home. All 12 players scored for the Heat, who narrowly
missed a season-high for field-goal percentage with 55.7.
Grant scored 14 of his points before halftime and finished
11-of-19 from the floor in 28 minutes.
Anthony Mason followed with 15 points and 12 rebounds, and Tim
Hardaway added 13 points as Miami won its fourth straight home
game.
The Heat took command with a 14-4 run just before the half to open a 59-42 lead at the break.
Miami opened a 30-point lead in the third quarter as Chicago
managed only 14 points in the period and committed seven turnovers.
The Heat, one-half game behind the Knicks for the third spot in
the Eastern Conference, play 12 of their final 14 games against
likely playoff teams.
"This is a great time to start believing," Grant said. "We
have to believe that we are one of the best, if not the best, teams
in the East. We have just as much a shot of winning the title as
anybody. If we don't believe that, then we're not going to do it."
Jamal Crawford
scored 17 points to lead the Bulls. Ron Artest,
Brad Miller and Ron Mercer each added 13.
"We got thoroughly manhandled in the post," Bulls coach Tim Floyd said. "I thought the Heat came at us with great pressure. They attacked us early and got out on us on the wings."
Miami tied a season-high by scoring 59 points in the first half.
"We came out and did what we wanted to do," Hardaway said. "The main thing was us playing good defense and making them take tough shots."
The Bulls opened with a 50-percent shooting spree in the first
quarter but finished at 41 percent for the game.
"It was extremely tough," Crawford said. "They're very
powerful in the paint and made us work for everything we got."
Game notes
Elton Brand missed his fourth straight game for the Bulls
because of tendinitis in his left knee. ... Artest has scored in
double figures in seven straight games. ... The Bulls have gone
nine straight games without topping the 100-point mark. ... Mercer
scored 12 points in the first quarter but only one point after
that. ...Miami plays eight of its final 14 games at home. ...
Despite being the third-lowest scoring team in the league, the Heat
have scored 100-plus points in two of their last three games. ...
The Heat avenged one of their worst losses of the season, an 89-82
defeat at Chicago on Feb. 17.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
Chicago Clubhouse
Miami Clubhouse
RECAPS
San Antonio 97
Boston 77
Indiana 96
Orlando 95
Charlotte 111
Toronto 95
Miami 109
Chicago 81
Milwaukee 107
LA Lakers 100
Minnesota 109
Dallas 97
Washington 99
Golden State 94
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