LDN - Sports

Dragic helps Heat handle Bulls, win sixth straight

[January 28, 2017] CHICAGO -- Smiles and laughter have returned to the Miami Heat locker room.

That's what happens when a young team finally finds its stride with a six-game winning streak.

"We're locked in," Heat guard Dion Waiters said as teammates compared shoes and joked with each other nearby. "We're having fun. Everyone is enjoying everybody else's success. We're just playing great basketball right now."

The Heat led by as many as 20 points en route to a 100-88 win over the Chicago Bulls on Friday night. Guard Goran Dragic led the team with 26 points and 11 assists. Center Willie Reed (20 points) and Waiters (19 points) also shined on offense.

Miami (17-30) matched its largest margin of victory during the six-game streak.

"I really liked our toughness in the second half, in particular," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "The ones that stand out in my mind are all those '3 yards and a cloud of dust' plays under the basket. That's the identity that we have to embrace. It's hard to win on the road."

For the Bulls, it is becoming hard to win anywhere. Chicago (23-25) committed 20 turnovers and lost its second straight game at home.

The game capped a drama-filled day for the Bulls, who met with coach Fred Hoiberg and general manager Gar Forman for about 40 minutes before the team's morning shootaround. Guard Dwyane Wade and forward Jimmy Butler each came off the bench as discipline for criticizing teammates two nights earlier. Their remarks prompted guard Rajon Rondo to fire back on social media with comments that indirectly called out Wade and Butler.

Butler checked in 5:07 into the first quarter and finished the game with three points on 1-for-13 shooting. Wade entered 28 seconds later and went on to notch 15 points on 6-for-17 shooting.

"We obviously had an emotional day," Hoiberg said. "That's not an excuse for how we played. It's the worst game we played all year, in my opinion."

Butler did not share his coach's opinion.

"I don't think that was our worst game of the season -- I definitely don't," Butler said. "We lost at home, we'll correct it tomorrow, and we'll get ready for (Philadelphia) on Sunday."

The relationship between Butler and his coach remains tenuous at best. In the second quarter, Butler removed himself from the game after he was whistled for a foul. Hoiberg did not have a substitute ready, and forward Taj Gibson scrambled to come off the bench to replace Butler.

Butler said he felt fine despite starting the game on the bench.

"I'll be back," said Butler, who recently was named as a starter for the Eastern Conference in the All-Star Game. "I'm not worried about it at all. I'm going to take the same shots next game and the game after that. And they'll go in."

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Heat guard Goran Dragic (7) passes around Chicago Bulls center Robin Lopez (8) during the second half at the United Center. Miami won 100-88. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports

Miami entered the fourth quarter with a 77-67 advantage. Dragic sprinted down the court for back-to-back layups as the Heat enjoyed a 16-1 run to establish a double-digit lead.

"Our defense has been strong during our winning streak," Reed said. "To be able to turn it on like that in the third quarter, we really started to make a run and extend the lead. From there, we continued to press the issue with turning the ball over and trying to hold them to one shot."

The score was even at 53 at halftime. Bulls forward Paul Zipser finished the first half with 12 points, including a 3-pointer from the left corner that capped a 15-5 run in the second quarter.

Miami built a 33-24 lead at the end of the first quarter. Reed scored a pair of baskets in the low post and added two free throws to fuel an early 12-0 run for Miami.

The Bulls finished the regular-season series with a 2-1 edge over the Heat.

NOTES: Bulls G Dwyane Wade and F Jimmy Butler did not start Friday night as punishment for their comments to the media earlier in the week. Wade and Butler said they had no regrets about questioning their teammates' desire to win. ... Heat C Hassan Whiteside did not play because of a sprained right ankle. In Whiteside's place, C Willie Reed made his fifth start of the season. ... Bulls G Doug McDermott started in place of Wade for the third time this season. Meanwhile, F Paul Zipser started alongside F Taj Gibson. ... Miami re-signed F Okaro White to a second 10-day contract before Friday's game. The rookie from Florida State earned an extended look after averaging 3.8 points and 3.0 rebounds in four games. ... G Rajon Rondo said the Bulls fined him for a social-media post that hinted at poor leadership. Rondo came off the bench Friday.

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