The defensive effort was closer to Miami Heat standards.

LeBron James made it difficult to notice anything but offense.

James scored 33 points on 13-for-21 shooting - with an array of post-up moves getting him going early, then a barrage of three-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 and an indicator that a balky back that slowed him the first couple weeks is improving.

"It's 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 percent. But it's getting better every day and that's 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.

Miami played without Udonis Haslem (back) and Ray Allen (ill). Shane Battier started in Haslem's place.

Associated Press

(China Daily 11/14/2013 page24)