Mike James credited the @Suns' slow starts of late to being "anxious and rushed," wanting to get off to a good start so bad the opposite occurs. pic.twitter.com/yOuuerO6Ts
— FOX Sports Arizona (@FOXSPORTSAZ) November 9, 2017
PHOENIX -- Goran Dragic felt right at home at Talking Stick Resort Arena, and it showed.
The former Phoenix Suns guard scored a season-high 29 points in the Miami Heat's 126-115 victory over the Suns on Wednesday night.
The Heat made 12 3-pointers, shot a season-best 53.1 percent overall and never trailed. The Suns lost their fourth straight.
"The rims are friendly," said Dragic, who had two stints with Phoenix before being traded to Miami in 2015. "I've played a lot of games here and yeah, it definitely helps."
Dragic scored 10 points in the third quarter. The Heat took a 94-86 lead into the fourth and opened the final period with a 7-0 run.
"The thing that's slacked for us the last two games ... defensively, not being able to get stops." -- Jared Dudley after the @Suns' 126-115 loss to the #Heat. pic.twitter.com/CboBVAZi9r
— FOX Sports Arizona (@FOXSPORTSAZ) November 9, 2017
"Greatness in this league is consistency, and Goran, you can book it every single night what you're going to get from him," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "He had a little bit extra punch to him in this game."
Phoenix made it 112-106 on Devin Booker's jumper with 2:53 to play but got no closer.
Hassan Whiteside added 23 points, 10 rebounds and a career-high four blocked shots for Miami.
Booker led Phoenix with 30 points, and Mike James had 18.
"Everyone in the NBA is a good player and you have to realize that and fight back," Booker said. "We keep getting within 10 and can't get over that hump."
"We scored 27 and 27 and were down big" at halftime. @Suns coach Jay Triano discusses his team's 126-115 loss to the #Heat. pic.twitter.com/r4Cq21TEdX
— FOX Sports Arizona (@FOXSPORTSAZ) November 9, 2017
Guard Dion Waiters, playing in his first game since last Friday, made a layup to give the Heat a 47-31 lead with 9:18 to go in the second quarter for Miami's largest lead of the first half. Waiters was away from the Heat for the birth of his daughter and returned to score 16 points.
The Suns went on an 11-1 run to cut the lead to six, but Waiters' 3-pointer with 10.8 seconds left gave the Heat a 69-54 halftime advantage. The 69 points was the highest total in a half for the Heat this season.
The Heat led by 14 points in the first quarter. Phoenix hit five of its last seven shots of the quarter, and cut the lead to 36-27.
STAREDOWN
Whiteside blocked James' driving dunk attempt with 4:56 to go in the first half, then stopped and stared down the fallen James. Whiteside was a tough matchup inside for Phoenix without big man Tyson Chandler (back spasms) in the lineup.
https://twitter.com/FOXSPORTSAZ/status/928496453428772864
TIP-INS
Alex Len made his first start of the season at center, in place of Chandler. ... Newly acquired C Greg Monroe has yet to report to the team. Monroe, who arrived in Tuesday's trade that sent Eric Bledsoe to Milwaukee, is dealing with a calf strain. ... Before the game, F Derrick Jones Jr. was recalled from the Northern Arizona Suns of G League. He did not play Wednesday.
UP NEXT
Suns host Orlando on Friday night.
Twitter Take: Which @Suns player wants a reporter job and who is a tattoo artist? pic.twitter.com/ygHfXtcuhD
— FOX Sports Arizona (@FOXSPORTSAZ) November 9, 2017
