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MIAMI -- The defensive effort was closer to Miami Heat standards. LeBron James made it difficult to notice anything but offence. James scored 33 points on 13 for 21 shooting -- with an array of post-up moves getting him going early, then a barrage of 3-pointers fueling a big third-quarter push -- and the Heat encountered little trouble on the way to a 118-95 win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday night. James scored 17 points in the third quarter, his best 12-minute stretch of the season so far and an indicator that a balky back that slowed him in the seasons first couple weeks is improving. "Its getting better," James said. "It feels a lot better. Still a little sore ... getting a lot of work put on it so I can get to 100 per cent. But its getting better every day and thats a good thing." Michael Beasley scored 19 points and Mario Chalmers finished with 15 points and seven assists for the Heat, whose biggest victory margin before Tuesday was a 12-point triumph over Chicago on opening night. Chris Bosh scored 10 for Miami (5-3). Miami played without Udonis Haslem (back) and Ray Allen (ill). Shane Battier started in Haslems place. "It wasnt perfect," said Heat coach Erik Spoelstra, whose team was coming off a final-second loss to Boston on Saturday. "There were still some areas we definitely need to improve on, in terms of the details and discipline. But at least the effort, the effort, the activity was better, the disposition right from the beginning and it carried through once we got into the rotation. Guys were much more focused and bringing that competitive spirit." John Henson and Gary Neal each scored 18 points and Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 11 for Milwaukee -- all three of them putting up those points off the Bucks bench. Caron Butler was the only double-digit-scoring starter for the Bucks (2-4), finishing with 10. "They shot almost 60 per cent today so theres no way we can win a game like that," Henson said. "We just have to get better." The Heat have scored at least 100 points in each of their eight games so far, extending the teams franchise-record for such a start, but what carried much more significance in the collective eyes of the two-time defending NBA champions were the defensive numbers. Milwaukee shot only 35 per cent in the first three quarters, before scoring 33 points against an array of what largely was Heat second- and third-teamers in the final 12 minutes. "Its been a long 48 hours in this building, but at least we were able to respond with a better game," Spoelstra said. "And I think our guys felt better looking each other in the eye in the locker room tonight." James gave the Heat a shot of adrenalin late in the half, when he and Chalmers teamed up for yet another entry on Miamis alley-oop highlight reel. Dwyane Wade grabbed a deflected ball and got it to Chalmers, who drove down the lane against Milwaukees Khris Middleton -- then simply lofted the ball straight up, knowing James was trailing the play. The result was predictable. James soared past Middleton for the dunk, the Heat took a 56-45 lead into the half, and the leagues four-time MVP then took over in the third quarter. "Best player in the world," the Bucks O.J. Mayo said. James 17, Bucks 17 -- that was the score in the third quarter, after the Heat star made 6 of 9 shots in the period, including four 3-pointers. He also drove for one particularly emphatic slam, and the 84-62 lead that Miami carried into the fourth ensured he would get the rest of the night off after logging only 30 minutes. "There were moments were I was very disappointed particularly when people were driving to the basket and were moving out of their way," Bucks coach Larry Drew said. "I will not tolerate that. That will not be accepted, I dont care who it is. If theyre going to the basket, weve got to challenge, weve got to foul then and make them earn it from the free-throw line. We cant be moving out of peoples way." NOTES: Boxing champion Floyd Mayweather was courtside, and the Brazilian national soccer team was also in attendance. ... Beasleys fourth point was the 5,000th of his NBA career. ... Drew, on how his team is going to be short-handed without Ersan Ilyasova, Luke Ridnour and Larry Sanders: "There will be some guys who will probably play out of position, but this is what being short-handed is all about." Ersan Ilyasova, Luke Ridnour and Larry Sanders: "There will be some guys who will probably play out of position, but this is what being short-handed is all about." . Josh Mazzola drove in five runs to lead the Goldeyes (20-12) past the Capitales 11-5 Friday night at Le Stade Municipal in Quebec City. . For the Athletics, hes extremely important at the top of the order, especially with Coco Crisp hurting. Jaso drove in three runs Sunday night, helping Scott Kazmir and Oakland beat the Texas Rangers 9-3. .com) - Calgary Flames forward Johnny Gaudreau has been selected as the NHLs Rookie of the Month for December, the league announced Friday. . -- Jerome Verrier scored once and set up two more as the Drummondville Voltigeurs downed the visiting Chicoutimi Sagueneens 5-1 on Friday in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League play. .com) - The Toronto Maple Leafs will try to play spoiler as the Los Angeles Kings will try to match their longest winning streak in over four years in Thursdays battle at Staples Center.Rafa Benitez was delighted with his sides spirit after Newcastle beat Leeds 2-0 in the Sky Bet Championship on Sunday. Dwight Gayles double secured victory for the away side at Elland Road, lifting them five points clear at the top of the table.We knew that it could be a tough game and it was, Benitez told Sky Sports. But I think we did what we had to do, we controlled the game for 30 minutes in the first half and scored the goal, but were under pressure for the last 15 minutes as they pushed us with corners and free-kicks. Highlights of the Sky Bet Championship match between Leeds and Newcastle [We reacted] in the second half, the team was doing well and we scored the second goal and afterwards it was more or less about doing the same.Despite their lofty position at the top of the league, Benitez insists that their approach will not change between now and the end of the season.We have to keep doing the same things, playing with intensity, no complacency andd try to get more points in every game, he said.ddddddddddddWe know anything can happen [in the Championship], so we have to approach every game with the same mentality. Leeds manager Garry Monk says critical moments did not help his side following their 2-0 defeat against Newcastle Benitez admitted he had a tough call to make whether to start Gayle or Aleksandar Mitrovic, with both strikers in such good form, but also reserved praise for the whole team.It was difficult for me to decide who to play, because all of them were coming back and training well, he said. So to decide to play one or the other was difficult. At the same time Ill give credit to the rest of the team. Weve kept a clean sheet in a very difficult stadium and the performance of the team defending and attacking was brilliant, and has been for the whole season. Also See: Gayle double extends Toon lead As it happened ' ' '
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