Heat at Bucks
Miami can inch closer to the sixth spot in the Eastern Conference when it continues a four-game road trip at Milwaukee on Tuesday. The Heat will enter the contest 1 1/2 games behind the slumping Bucks, who have dropped a season-high six in a row to fall back toward a large pack of pursuers, led by Miami. The Heat had won three straight and seven of 10 before beginning their road trip with a 93-75 loss at Oklahoma City.
Hassan Whiteside had 13 points to lead the way for Miami, which shot 39.5 percent from the floor, made 3-of-18 3-pointers and committed 19 turnovers in matching its second-lowest scoring total of the season in Oklahoma City. Milwaukee opened a four-game homestand with a 108-90 loss to Cleveland on Sunday, racing to a nine-point halftime lead before getting outscored 64-37 after the break. The Bucks have won the first three meetings with the Heat and are looking to sweep the season series for the first time since 1990-91.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, Sun Sports (Miami), FSN Wisconsin (Milwaukee)
ABOUT THE HEAT (32-37): One reason for Milwaukee's success against Miami has been the relative lack of contributions from Heat superstar Dwyane Wade, who missed one of the meetings altogether and left the last one on Jan. 27 in the third quarter with a right hamstring strain. Prior to his 12-point performance against Oklahoma City, Wade had been on a tear with seven straight efforts with at least 22 points and over 30 in three of them. Whiteside had 16 points and 16 rebounds in the previous meeting with the Bucks.
ABOUT THE BUCKS (34-36): Milwaukee is 4-13 since trading away standout point guard Brandon Knight to Phoenix and acquiring Michael Carter-Williams from Philadelphia last month. Carter-Williams actually had a decent effort in the loss to Cleveland with a team-high 19 points on 9-of-14 shooting, but he also contributed six of the Bucks' 23 turnovers. No Milwaukee reserve had more than four points as the club continued to play thin without Jared Dudley (back) and O.J. Mayo (hamstring), both of whom are considered questionable for Tuesday.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Bucks head coach Jason Kidd is 7-0 against Miami in the regular season.
2. Milwaukee SG Khris Middleton is shooting 52.3 percent from the field at home, compared to 42.7 on the road.
3. Wade averages 6.6 assists in his career against Milwaukee, his highest mark against an Eastern Conference opponent.