MIAMI — Setting a franchise record in field-goal percentage, the Miami Heat rolled to a 129-111 win over the Chicago Bulls on Tuesday night at American Airlines Arena.
The Heat shot 67.5 percent, the best mark in the NBA this season.
Miami center Hassan Whiteside had 26 points, 14 rebounds and four blocks, all game highs. It was his sixth consecutive double-double — all of them off the bench.
Forward Joe Johnson, making his home debut for Miami, scored 24 points. Miami forward Luol Deng, a former Bulls standout, had 20 points. Heat point guard Goran Dragic had a double-double with 17 points and 11 assists, and shooting guard Dwyane Wade added 18 points and seven assists.
Put it all together, and it was the highest-scoring game of the season for Miami. And it came against a Bulls defense that allowed over 100 points for the 14th consecutive game.
Bulls point guard Derrick Rose, who returned after missing three games due to a hamstring injury, scored 17 points.
Miami (34-26) won for the 11th time in 16 games. Chicago (30-29) lost its third straight game.
So far, the four-game season series between the Eastern Conference rivals is split 1-1.
Shooting 64 percent in the opening quarter, Miami grabbed a 36-30 lead. The 36 points were Miami’s season high for a first quarter. Chicago, which overcame a 12-2 Miami run to make the score close, shot 54 percent.
Both continued to shoot over 50 percent in the second quarter, and Miami closed the first half with a 65-62 advantage.
Chicago cooled off in the third quarter, shooting 34.6 percent as Miami extended its lead to 95-82. Miami shot 60 percent or better for the third straight quarter.
The Bulls climbed within six points midway through the fourth quarter before Miami pulled away.
Chicago shot 45.6 percent from the floor overall.
NOTES: Bulls PG Derrick Rose returned after missing three games with a hamstring injury. Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg said he would monitor Rose’s minutes in the short term. … Hoiberg said he hopes to get SG Jimmy Butler (knee injury) back later this week. … F Joe Johnson, who made his Heat home debut on Tuesday, has made Miami his summer residence for the past half-dozen years. Johnson, 34, said the Heat sold him on possibly re-signing with Miami after this season. … Miami bought out the contract of PG Beno Udrih (foot surgery) on Monday, a move that allowed the Heat to get under the luxury tax. … Miami is interested in signing SG Marcus Thornton, 28, who was cut by the Houston Rockets on Saturday. But the Cleveland Cavaliers are also interested in Thornton, who is shooting 34 percent on 3-pointers and 88 percent on free throws.