Miami Heat guard Goran Dragic (7) talks with official Gary Zielinski, right, during the first half of the team’s NBA basketball game against the Milwaukee Bucks, Thursday, Nov. 17, 2016, in Miami. AP
MIAMI, Florida—Dion Waiters scored 23 points and the Miami Heat beat the Milwaukee Bucks 96-73 on Thursday night to end a six-game losing streak.
Josh Richardson added 18 points, and Hassan Whiteside had 12 points, 17 rebounds, and eight blocks. The losing streak was the Heat’s longest since 2008.
Point guard Goran Dragic returned for the Heat after missing three games with a sprained left ankle. He had 16 points in 36 minutes.
Giannis Antetokounmpo and Tony Snell each had 14 points for Milwaukee. The Bucks have lost four of five.
Richardson hit a corner 3, Whiteside blocked a lay-up attempt by Antetokounmpo, and Dragic hit a 3 in a flurry of big plays to give Miami an 80-69 lead with 7 minutes left. The Heat held on the rest of the way, with a 3 by Waiters making it 88-73 with 3:31 left.
Miami outscored Milwaukee 29-11 in the fourth quarter.
The Bucks entered the game leading the NBA in points in the paint, averaging 49.8 a game after leading the league a year ago, but were held to 34 and just 10 in the second half.
Milwaukee jumped out to a 20-6 lead, which included three impressive dunks by Jabari Parker, including taking one around-the-back on a dribble to avoid Richardson, and holding the Heat to 3-for-18 shooting.
Miami quickly bounced back as Tyler Johnson’s 3 gave the Heat a 30-27 lead and the teams were knotted at 48 at the break.
Josh Richardson hit a pair of 3-pointers for the Heat during a 13-4 run in the third quarter to give Miami a 65-54 lead.
Miami led 67-62 to start the fourth quarter.
Miami’s Rodney McGruder and assistant coaches Dan Craig and Octavio de la Grana received their NBA D-League championship rings for winning the title last season with the Sioux Falls Skyforce, Miami’s affiliate.
McGruder, a Kansas State product who went undrafted in 2013, made his NBA debut this season and recently earned his first start.