MIAMI -- The Miami Heat continue to defy odds with its undermanned roster.

Forward Luol Deng scored 27 points to lead the Heat to a 114-94 win over the Washington Wizards on Saturday night.

Playing without their top two scorers forward Chris Bosh and guard Dwyane Wade for the second consecutive game, the Heat never trailed after scoring 11 unanswered points for a 15-5 lead with 6:54 remaining in the first period. Guard Goran Dragic keyed the run with five points.

Center Hassan Whiteside returned from a one-game suspension and scored a career high 25 points and had 23 rebounds for the Heat. Whiteside, who sat out Miami's game at Atlanta on Friday for his flagrant elbow on San Antonio's Boban Marjanovic on Feb. 9, also finished with three blocked shots.

"It shows how talented our team is," Whiteside said after getting his second career game with 20 points and 20 rebounds. "A couple of our leaders go down and guys step up."

Dragic finished with 22 points, eight assists and seven rebounds for Miami, which defeated Southeast Division rivals Washington and Atlanta on consecutive nights.

"Guys step up and guys don't even think of it if someone is not able to play," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "It doesn't make it easy and it doesn't mean that you don't think about the guys that aren't playing, but to have a no-excuse attitude and to not feel sorry for yourselves and just concentrate on stepping up and doing your job and competing at a high level is what you saw the last two nights."

Miami extended an 11-point lead at the end of the first quarter to 50-30 after Whiteside's layup with 4:05 remaining in the second period. The basket capped a 9-0 run for the Heat.

"We came in with the mindset that we were going to share the ball, play hard defense and get out and run," Whiteside said.

Playing on three consecutive nights finally took a toll on the Wizards, who misfired on 19 of 22 from 3-point range. Guard Bradley Beal led Washington with 19 but shot 8 of 20. Forward Jared Dudley finished with 16 points.

"They outplayed us," Wizards coach Randy Whittman said. "You've got to give credit where credit is due. They played harder than we did. They played with more bounce in their step right from the start. We didn't come out with that same zip and they took advantage of it."

The Wizards got to within 57-44 after guard John Wall's jumper with 24 seconds remaining in the second quarter. Dragic's layup with three second left in the period gave Miami a 59-44 lead at halftime.

Whiteside's tip-in with 7:22 remaining in the fourth quarter gave the Heat their second 20-point lead at 96-75.

"We're a team that when we get down it's hard for us to regroup and get over that hump," Dudley said. "We're better at playing with a lead so if that's the case, we have to start jumping on teams early like we've done in the first two games (since the break)."

Miami out-rebounded Washington 67-45. The total is second highest in team history behind a 69-rebound game against Denver Feb. 14, 1991.

Rookie forward Justise Winslow was Miami's fourth scorer to score in double figures with 14 points. Winslow caught an inadvertent elbow to the forehead from teammate Josh Richardson midway through the second period. He was sent to the dressing room for precaution but returned and played in the second half.

NOTES: Miami SG Dwyane Wade underwent an MRI exam on his left knee?on Saturday. The results were negative, according to Heat coach Erik Spoelstra. Wade felt discomfort on the back of his knee before Friday's game at Atlanta and did not play. His status is day-to-day. ... Washington's third consecutive game on Saturday was the first time a team dealt with a similar stretch since Indiana on Feb. 4-6, 2013. The Wizards-Utah Jazz game on Thursday was previously scheduled for Jan. 23 but was postponed because of a blizzard that affected the mid-eastern United States. ... The consecutive wins over Utah and Detroit on Thursday and Friday provided the Wizards a brief break from the current stretch of games with a heavy road tilt. The Wizards played three consecutive away games before the All-Star break and will play three of their next four on the road. ... Miami's win against the Hawks on Friday ended a stretch of 15 of 19 road games. Miami finished 8-7 during the period away from home. Saturday's game against the Wizards opened a three-game homestand - the first extended stay at home since a four-game stretch Dec. 18-25.