Heat push Bucks to brink of elimination

Miami Heat’s LeBron James (6) shoots during the first half of Game 3 in their first-round NBA basketball playoff series against the Milwaukee Bucks, Thursday, April 25, 2013, in Milwaukee. The Heat won 104-91 to take a 3-0 lead in the series. AP Photo/Morry Gash

MILWAUKEE, Wisconsin–The NBA champion Miami Heat moved within one game of ousting the Milwaukee Bucks from the first round of the playoffs Thursday, closing strong in a 104-91 victory.

LeBron James scored 22 points, Chris Bosh notched a double-double and Ray Allen added 23 points and set a record for three-pointers in the post-season as Miami took a 3-0 stranglehold on the best-of-seven first-round series.

No NBA team has come back from a 0-3 deficit to win a best-of-seven series.

Miami was slow out of the blocks, but out-scored the Bucks 56-41 in the second half en route to the key victory.

James connected on 9-of-14 from the field and Bosh added 16 points with 14 rebounds. Allen went 5-for-8 from three-point range and now has 322 three-pointers in the post-season in his career. That surpassed the playoff record of 320 held by Reggie Miller.

Dwayne Wade had a disappointing shooting night, connecting on just one of 12 shots. But he contributed 11 assists, nine rebounds and five steals.

Once again Milwaukee’s top players struggled, with Brandon Jennings and Monta Ellis combining for 23 points.

The game was one of two Eastern Conference contests on Thursday’s slate with the Chicago Bulls hosting the Brooklyn Nets in a series tied at 1-1 after two games in Brooklyn.