Heat Has Highest Scoring Quarter To Beat Bulls

By ESPN

Goran Dragic and the Miami Heat followed the lowest-scoring first quarter in team history with the highest-scoring one of the season to beat the Chicago Bulls.

After scoring seven points in the first quarter, Miami had 38 in the second to take a 45-42 lead en route to a 100-93 victory Sunday.

Dragic scored 24 points, Wayne Ellington had 19 points and five 3-pointers off the bench and the Heat's four reserves outscored their five starters. James Johnson added 15 points, seven rebounds and six assists, and fellow reserves Tyler Johnson and Kelly Olynyk scored 10 points apiece as the Heat bench produced 54 points to extend the team's winning streak to three.

Jerian Grant led Chicago with a career-high 24 points. Denzel Valentine had 14 points and career highs of 13 rebounds and seven assists.

"They (the bench) inspired the whole team," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "We were looking for some kind of energy, some kind of separation. We understand that it was going to be a 48-minute game and they played some inspiring basketball, not only in the fourth quarter but in that second quarter. That's what really changed the momentum and brought us back into it."

Ellington ignited the Heat after the 2-for-19 first-quarter from the field, scoring 10 points and hitting three 3-pointers as Miami shot 68.4 percent in the second quarter.

The Heat started slow again in the third quarter, prompting Spoelstra to leave his second- and third-leading scorers, Dion Waiters (four points) and Hassan Whiteside (11 points, nine rebounds), on the bench down the stretch as the Heat pulled away after Chicago cut Miami's lead to 83-81 with five minutes, 40 seconds to play.

"I don't think we look at it like Dion or Whiteside or Dragic," James Johnson said. "We have a lot of weapons on this team. We have a lot of guys who could do it. We're all trying to play our roles and master that."

Justin Holliday added 15 points for the Bulls, who lost their fifth in a row following an 0-4 West Coast trip.

TIP-INS

Heat: Whiteside (knee) was in the starting lineup after missing Saturday's practice to receive treatment. ... F James Johnson had at least five rebounds and five assists in a game for the fifth time this season. ... Miami (10-9) exceeded the .500 mark for the first time since winning two of three to open the season.

Bulls: Chicago coach Fred Hoiberg said he's "hoping" G David Nwaba will return to practice on Monday. Nwaba (sprained right ankle) missed his ninth consecutive game. ... The home game was just Chicago's seventh of the season, tied with Toronto for fewest in the NBA. ... Grant scored 62 points in Chicago's past three games. His single-game high was 13 prior to this stretch.

Sunday, November 26 Scoreboard

Miami 100, Chicago 93

Minnesota 119, Phoenix 108

Brooklyn 98, Memphis 88

Monday, November 27 Schedule (All Times Central)

Orlando at Indiana, 6 p.m.

Cleveland at Philadelphia, 6 p.m.

Detroit at Boston, 6:30 p.m.

Portland at New York 6:30 p.m.

Brooklyn at Houston, 7 p.m.

Dallas at San Antonio, 7:30 p.m.

Sacramento at Golden State, 9:30 p.m.

Los Angeles Lakers at Los Angeles Clippers, 9:30 p.m.