Bucks ease past depleted Heat

MIAMI – Perhaps Dwyane Wade taught Khris Middleton too well last summer.

Middleton scored 22 points, Greg Monroe added 15 points and 10 rebounds and the Milwaukee Bucks clamped down defensively on Wade and short-handed Miami throughout, beating the Heat, 91-79, on Tuesday night.

Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 14 points for Milwaukee, which has now beaten Miami five consecutive times.

Hassan Whiteside scored 23 points and grabbed 18 rebounds for Miami, which has dropped two straight and trailed by at least 22 in each of those games. Chris Bosh scored 23 and Luol Deng added 11 for the Heat.

In other results, New Orleans crushed Minnesota, 114-99; Oklahoma held off Denver, 110-104; and Indiana outlasted Phoenix, 97-9.4

Back in Miami, the Heat were without four injured players, including point guards Goran Dragic and Beno Udrih. The offense struggled mightily without them, as Miami shot a season-low 36.5 percent.

And Wade, playing through shoulder pain, finished with only two points on 1-for-6 shooting in 21 minutes. It was only the third time in Wade’s 973-game career, including playoffs, that he logged at least 20 minutes and didn’t score more than two points.

It’s the first time Miami has been held under 80 points in two straight games since the end of the 2011-12 regular season, when the Heat shut most players down and got into playoff mode.

Wade and Middleton crossed paths over the summer, introduced by mutual friends who suggested the Milwaukee guard should reach out to the three-time NBA champion for some guidance. Middleton called, Wade agreed, they worked out together with trainer Stan Remy and Wade came away impressed.

“Talking to him, and him letting me know how he approaches the game and what he’s thinking in certain situations, it’s helping me out tremendously,” Middleton said.

The Heat were also without Josh McRoberts and Chris Andersen, both sidelined by knee problems with no returns in sight. Milwaukee was again without O.J. Mayo (left hamstring) and Greivis Vasquez (right ankle), not to mention coach Jason Kidd (hip surgery).

Miami’s last lead was 32-31 midway through the second quarter. Milwaukee closed the half on an 18-7 run, led 49-39 at the break and then outscored Miami 26-18 in the third to pull away.