Heat grab 2-1 edge vs Bulls

MIAMI — Chris Bosh scored 34 points and LeBron James finished with 22 points and 10 assists as the Miami Heat remained unbeaten at home in the postseason by beating the Chicago Bulls 96-85 in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals on Sunday.

Miami now lead the series 2-1 and is two victories from its first trip to the NBA finals since 2006. Game 4 is Tuesday night in Miami.

Dwyane Wade added 17 points and nine rebounds for Miami, which is now 7-0 at home and handed the team that finished with the NBA’s best record its first losing streak since Feb. 5-7. Udonis Haslem sealed it with a jumper with 1:29 left, putting Miami up 93-84.

Bosh scored 30 points in Game 1 against Chicago, a game where Miami was embarrassed 103-82. The Heat haven’t lost since, and only trailed for 3:22 in Game 3.

“I just wanted to be aggressive and just have some kind of imprint on this series,” said Bosh, who’s in the conference final round for the first time. “I had an aggressive Game 1, Game 2 was so-so, but we still won. But out here on the home floor I just wanted to be aggressive and it turned out to be a good game.”

Carlos Boozer finished with 26 points and 17 rebounds for Chicago, which had won the first four meetings of the season with Miami. Derrick Rose finished with 20 points, but struggled from the field once again, making only 8 of his 19 shots.

Taj Gibson had 11 off the Chicago bench.

Boozer made a pair of free throws with 6:39 left to get Chicago within 78-74, the outcome clearly hanging in the balance. Minutes later, that was no longer the case — not after Miami scored nine straight to build more than enough of a cushion.

Bosh and Boozer exchanged words and looks more than once on Sunday night, but Bosh ended up with the upper hand.

“All I care about is winning games,” Bosh said. “And we do whatever it takes to get that.”

How good was Miami’s defense down that stretch? Bulls center Joakim Noah tried a 5-footer with 4:25 left. He shot it over the backboard. ap