Miami Heat snap Milwaukee Bucks' six-game win streak with elite defensive performance

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After a recent slump, the Miami Heat have now reeled off three wins in a row capped off by an impressive 105-89 win over the Milwaukee Bucks at AmericanAirlines Arena.

The Heat are the only team in the NBA to beat the Bucks twice this season, bringing their six-game win streak to an end in the process. 

With the win, the Heat are now 39-22 on the season, matching their win total from last season with 19 games remaining.

Six Heat players scored in double figures in the win, led by 18 points, seven assists and six rebounds from Jimmy Butler, while Bam Adebayo added 14 points, 13 rebounds and five assists and Kendrick Nunn 13 points and eight rebounds. 

They had plenty of help off the bench with Jae Crowder knocking down five 3-pointers for his 18 points, while Goran Dragic chipped in 15 points. 

Against a Bucks team with the league's best interior defence, the Heat let it fly from deep with plenty of success, connecting on 18-of-37 from beyond the arc while the Bucks managed just 7-of-34.

The Heat's offence was impressive, racking up 28 assists on 37 made field goals, but it was their defensive pressure which got them over the line.

Adebayo and co. did a stellar job limiting the impact of Giannis Antetokounmpo, playing physical defence and cutting off his passing lanes to 3-point shooters with an energetic display. 

Just look at them swarm the Greek Freak:

They held the reigning MVP to a season-low 13 points on 6-of-18 shooting and 15 rebounds, keeping the Bucks to under 100 points for the second-straight game with their 89 points their lowest score of the season so far.

"Collective effort, all hands on deck," Jae Crowder said of their defensive effort against Antetokounmpo. 

"It took a lot of people to throw bodies at him and get a stop, but it was a team effort tonight and we got it done." 

The Heat led by one at the half and extended the lead to 11 heading into the fourth thanks to a buzzer-beater from Dragic. They held the Bucks to 18 points in the third quarter and kept up the defensive pressure, allowing just 19 points in the final frame to seal the win.

Miami led by one at the half, then pushed the lead to 12 late in the third and took an 81-70 lead into the final 12 minutes after Dragic beat the buzzer with a quarter-ending 3-pointer for the third consecutive game, this one as time expired. He also made a beat-the-clock 3 to end the first half against Brooklyn on Saturday and another with 2 seconds left in the half against Dallas on Friday.

Brook Lopez led the Bucks with 21 points, while Khris Middleton and George Hill scored 12 points apiece and Donte DiVincenzo 11.

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Benyam Kidane is a senior NBA editor for The Sporting News.