MIAMI (AP) – Dwyane Wade scored 35 points, and the Miami Heat beat the Milwaukee Bucks 109-98 Tuesday night.

Shaquille O’Neal added 23 points, leading the Heat to their sixth victory in eight games since Pat Riley returned as coach on Dec. 12. Jason Williams had 18 points, including nine during a 19-9 run in the opening six minutes of the second half.

The Bucks cut the Heat’s lead to 85-81 on Bobby Simmons’ 3-pointer with 9:14 remaining in the fourth, but Wade keyed a 13-3 spurt with eight points in the next 3:23.

Reserve Maurice Williams came off the bench to score 24 points as the Bucks finished 0-2 in a back-to-back set in Florida, following Monday’s loss at Orlando. Michael Redd scored 21 points but shot 8-of-30 in the two games.

Milwaukee point guard T.J. Ford left 4:41 into the game after he was fouled hard by Miami’s James Posey as he drove to the basket. Ford hit the two free throws before leaving for the dressing room. He was diagnosed with a sprained left foot sprain.

Despite Ford’s early departure, Milwaukee shot 60 percent in the first quarter and took a 31-29 lead. The Bucks stretched their lead to 41-34 on Jiri Welsch’s layup with 6:53 left in the second period before the Heat went on a 12-5 run to tie it at 46 on Alonzo Mourning’s two free throws with 2:39 left in the first half.

Notes: Milwaukee’s bench outscored the Heat’s reserves 39-21. … The Heat have won seven of the last nine meetings in Miami.

AP-ES-12-27-05 2229EST