Miami will be playing for the second consecutive night, and the sixth time in the last nine days
NBA: Milwaukee -1 Miami
Welcome back to earth Miami - thud. Miami will be playing for the second consecutive night, and the sixth time in the last nine days. After opening the season 4-0, the Heat have lost three of their last four. In their first four games, the Heat shot over 50 percent. They are shooting nearly 10 percent worse over their last four. Tonight they face a team allowing just 43.9 from the field.
The home team is a perfect 5-0 SU in the Bucks games. Milwaukee has an explosive offense averaging triple digits.
It does not help Miami that one of their best players Dwayne Wade is in and out of the lineup. Wade missed two games after spraining his left ankle against the Mavericks last week. Wade was expected miss two more games and return against the Jazz at home on Friday, but he felt his ankle improve Monday, and he tested it twice Tuesday before deciding to play.
But Wade's return requires one annoying adjustment. He has to tape his left ankle -- a precaution almost every player in the league takes, but one Wade has avoided like the plague since he entered the league.
Their best player is hurting and already whining about the officials. Shaquille O'Neal says he still is not 100 percent with a sore left hamstring, which is affecting his overall performance. But also hindering him is the officiating that continues to baffle him.
''I'm getting a lot of silly offensive fouls that I've never gotten before,'' O'Neal said. ``That's not going to discourage me. I'm just going to keep playing my game and hopefully they'll adjust. I don't think they're used to me moving that much.''
Washington is 12-35 last three years versus teams that allow 91 points or less Boston has gone under 12-1 last three years after allowing 75 or fewer points Utah is 48-21 after three straight games in which they gave up 45 or fewer rebounds Atlanta is 8-28 on the road following a win last three years Milwaukee is 7-23 at home if playing five or less games in 14 days Miami has gone under 14-2 on the road after allowing 105 or more points since 1996 Memphis and Portland have gone under all eight games the last three years Since 1996 10-of-13 Golden State-Chicago games have gone under including all six in the Bay Area
