Basketball: Miami Heat on cloud nine as they stretch win streak by sinking Bulls

CHICAGO (AP) - LeBron James scored 26 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, and the Miami Heat beat the Chicago Bulls 86-67 on Thursday for their season-high ninth straight win in the National Basketball Association.

James also had seven assists in another big performance after seeing his franchise-record run of scoring at least 30 end at seven games the previous night in Atlanta.

Dwyane Wade added 17 points, and the Heat took control in the first half, sending the Bulls to their fifth loss in seven games on a night when the Derrick Rose recovery story took another twist.

Rose had to go into damage control mode after his older brother Reggie blasted the organisation in an ESPNChicago.com article for not making a move before Thursday's trade deadline.