The Miami Heat edge out the Milwaukee Bucks, 97-79

The Miami Heat won their seventh game in a row, outlasting the Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday afternoon.

The Miami Heat’s 97-79 performance over the Milwaukee Bucks was the team’s first double digit win in their current win streak. 

Goran Dragic was a force to reckon with, as his hot hand never burned out. He finished the night with 25 points, 11 of which came in crucial time in the fourth quarter, to extend their lead.

When asked if this current win streak is significant to his team right now, the guard answered with what is probably one of the best answers for this Heat mentality at the moment: “Nothing.”

Both Dragic and head coach Erik Spoelstra know they cannot subdue to that conformity with half of the season left. If they’re satisfied, then they are not ready for the playoffs.

Hassan Whiteside also showed resilience down the stretch, finishing with 15 points and 10 rebounds for the night. This newly reinvigorated center is finding new light, as they look to take the No. 3 spot in the Eastern Conference away from the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Josh Richardson tallied up 16 points and again displayed great athleticism on both ends of the floor; Miami has finally found a consistent guard that can deliver on either end if necessary.  

It was a special game for the Heat too, as they saw swingman Justise Winslow come back to the lineup after missing 14 games with a knee strain. He had a quiet night on a minutes restriction, but still hustled on both ends of the floor, finishing with three points, four rebounds and four assists in 13 minutes.

Who knows what the future holds for Winslow, but if he somehow remains healthy and provides that defensive wingspan off the bench, then Miami will have yet another valuable force in their arsenal.

Milwaukee endured a nightmare of a game shooting-wise, as they only shot 32 percent from the floor.

Their Most Valuable Player Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Bucks with 22 points for the game, but had most of his isolations plays and runs contested, and saw little help from a cold shooting Bucks roster.  

Miami is in prime position to make a jump in the standings with tomorrow’s matchup versus the Chicago Bulls in the Windy City. If they come out victorious, they will only be one game behind Cleveland.

With the way Miami has restructured their lineup and exposed each wing’s talent, especially behind-the-arc, this Heat team has enough potential and fortitude to really challenge the top Eastern contenders.  

Next: Miami Heat's Justise Winslow slated to return against Milwaukee Bucks

Let’s just hope their injury woes are behind them.