Expectations are rapidly rising for the Heat's seven-game road trip. And maybe for any ensuing road trip this season.
Miami was a surprising 3-2 on its West Coast road trip in late November and early December. It is now 3-2 on its current seven-game road trip, having defeated Sacramento, Minnesota and Milwaukee while losing to Denver and the Los Angeles Lakers. The Heat visits Houston on Saturday and Oklahoma City on Sunday. The Rockets will be without Tracy McGrady (knee) and Ron Artest (ankle). But the Thunder is just plain bad. So there's a chance Miami, which has been occupying the No. 6 spot in the Eastern Conference for the past month or so, could make a move on Detroit or Atlanta before the road trip ends or soon afterward.
"One game at a time," Shawn Marion said. "It's a long trip for everybody."
Things get rough after the trip is over, however. Among its next eight games, the Heat takes on Boston, Orlando, Atlanta, Dallas and Detroit. If things go extremely well (and that means extremely well) during that eight-game stretch the Heat could double last season's victory total of 15 by the first week of February, which would be a remarkable feat.
HEAT 102, BUCKS 99: Daequan Cook had a career-best 24 points, tied a career-best with six three-pointers and hit four crucial free throws in the final 21.1 seconds as the Heat improved to 3-2 on this seven-game road trip. Michael Beasley added 21 points to help offset a poor offensive night from Dwyane Wade (17 points, 12 fewer than his average).
"My teammates did a great job of shooting the ball," Wade said. "This was a team win."
Shawn Marion had the defensive play of the game when he blocked Richard Jefferson's runner with 21.3 seconds left to help Miami protect its 99-97 lead.
"We needed one stop to win the game," Marion said.
Milwaukee had five players score in double-figures.
"This wasn't one of our better defensive efforts," Spoelstra said.
