Wade leads Heat to win over Bucks but both teams lose key players

Dwyane Wade scores 30 points to lead the Miami Heat to an 87-74 victory over Milwaukee.

Dwyane Wade scored 30 points to lead the Miami Heat to an 87-74 victory over Milwaukee on Friday in a game that was overshadowed by Carlos Delfino, the Bucks forward, being carried off on a stretcher after taking a blow to the head. Delfino's injury happened late in the first half, as he drove to the basket for a lay-up, then stumbled and landed face-first on the floor. The Heat's Udonis Haslem then jumped for a rebound and accidentally came down on Delfino's head. "We're obviously concerned about Carlos," Scott Skiles, the Bucks coach, said. "We'll just keep our fingers crossed." Delfino was taken to hospital for X-rays and had pain in his head and jaw.

"When the stretcher comes out and they put on a neck brace, it's definitely a disturbing sight," said Kurt Thomas, the Bucks centre. "There was nothing I could do. I couldn't avoid it," Haslem said. "I didn't know he was under me." Jermaine O'Neal, the Heat centre, also left the game in the first quarter after injuring his right knee when took an awkward step and fell to the floor. "He's feeling OK but really none of us will know for sure until we get back to Miami and we re-evaluate," said Erik Spoelstra, the Heat coach.

The Heat have won four in a row and 10 of their last 13 to move within a game of Milwaukee in the standings. Meanwhile, Gilbert Arenas, the Washington Wizards All-Star guard, was sentenced on Friday to two years' probation for bringing guns into the team's locker room. The judge granted leniency for Arenas, who sought to avoid any jail time after pleading guilty on January 15 to felony weapons possession for bringing four guns into the locker room.

* With agencies