Having won 25 straight, Heat want to get better

MIAMI - The Heat have won 25 straight games, turned what was a super-close Eastern Conference race into a runaway, and seem to be finding different ways to prevail on a nightly basis.

Still, they're not particularly thrilled with themselves right now.

From the Heat perspective, it's almost like they are simultaneously slumping and streaking after facing double-digit deficits in three consecutive games, yet finding ways to win them all.

"By no stretch of the imagination are we playing our best basketball right now. We're winning ball games, but we have a lot of room for improvement," forward Shane Battier said.

Even as they move closer to the NBA-record winning streak of 33 straight established by the Los Angeles Lakers in 1971-72, the bigger concern in the Heat locker room is that they are nowhere near a playoff gear with just 14 games remaining before the postseason arrives.

They've trailed after five of their last six opening quarters, been losing at halftime in three straight outings, and have been outshot in three of their last six contests. The next opportunity to fix some of those issues comes Sunday at home against Charlotte (16-52).

"It's on the radar, no question about it," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said.

The latest close call wasn't exactly all that close. Miami (54-14) trailed Detroit by 11 points Friday night, before clamping down in the second half and pulling away for a 103-89 win behind LeBron James' 29 points, 8 assists, and 8 rebounds.

"We never expect anything to be easy," James said.

But the 17-point deficit at Boston (and a separate 13-point hole in the fourth quarter) that was followed by the 27-point lead Cleveland held over the Heat in a most bizarre game on Wednesday may be perceived as some warning signs, and the Heat freely acknowledge they have to be addressed.

At the same time, though, to say the reigning NBA champions are nervous about where they are right now would be a gross exaggeration.

"Everybody wants us to win by 30 every night," guard Dwyane Wade said. "Sorry, guys. It's not possible."