Waiters' 33 points carries Heat past Bucks
MIAMI -- Dion Waiters tied his career high with 33 points to lead the Miami Heat to their third straight win, beating the Milwaukee Bucks 109-97 on Saturday night at AmericanAirlines Arena.
It's the longest win streak of the season for the Heat (14-30).
Waiters' previous best this season was 28 points against the Memphis Grizzlies on Nov. 26. He then missed the next 20 games due to a groin injury, and this was his first 20-plus scoring game since Memphis.
Miami also got 25 points from Goran Dragic and 16 points and 15 rebounds from Hassan Whiteside.
Milwaukee (20-23) has a season-worst five-game losing skid.
Newly named All-Star Giannis Antetokounmpo produced 24 points and 10 rebounds for Milwaukee.
The Bucks played the first quarter without standout forward Jabari Parker, who broke an unspecified team rule. Parker, who scored 15 points, had been the only Bucks player to start every game this season. Milwaukee also benched rookie guard Malcolm Brogdon for basketball reasons.
In their place, Milwaukee started 7-1 rookie forward Thon Maker and veteran guard Matthew Dellavedova. For Maker, the 10th player selected in the 2016 draft, it was his first NBA start. For Dellavedova, it was his first start since Dec. 28. He started Milwaukee's first 30 games this season, suffered a hamstring injury, missed five games and then came off the bench for the next seven.
Dellavedova scored 15 points against Miami, and Maker had six points.
Miami, led by 10 first-quarter points by Waiters, got off to a good start. The Heat led 25-22 heading into the second quarter.
Waiters added 10 more points in the second quarter as the Heat took a 53-43 lead at the break. The 20 points by Waiters marked his most productive half of the season.
The Heat, after shooting 42.1 percent in the first quarter, improved to 57.1 percent in the second and 57.9 percent in the third, taking an 82-71 lead into the fourth.
Milwaukee never seriously threatened in the fourth.
NOTES: Heat G Tyler Johnson (strained left shoulder) sat out after getting hurt in Miami's previous game, against the Dallas Mavericks. ... Giannis Antetokounmpo was named this week an All-Star starter, the first Bucks player to earn that honor in 31 years. He's the only player in the NBA who leads his team in points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks. ... Heat PF Chris Bosh, who has been sidelined since the 2016 All-Star Game due to blood clots, has interest from the Chicago Bulls. ESPN has reported that Chicago is considering signing Bosh -- assuming he gets medical clearance -- and reuniting him with ex-Heat SG Dwyane Wade. ... The Bucks are hoping to get SG Khris Middleton back next month. He has been out all season after surgery to repair a torn left hamstring. ... Miami completes its four-game homestand on Monday against the Golden State Warriors. ... Milwaukee returns home to face the Houston Rockets on Monday.