(Reuters) - Miami's LeBron James and Dwyane Wade went on a scoring spree to lift the Heat to a 101-92 victory over Southeast rivals Atlanta on Monday, opening up a 1.5 game gap over the Hawks.

James tallied 27 points, seven rebounds and six assists, while Wade scored 26 points to snap Atlanta's three-game win streak and keep the Heat (14-5) ahead of the Hawks (12-6).

After a close first half, Miami trailed 65-63 in the third before seizing the momentum with a run of nine straight points. The Heat finished the stretch with a 14-2 advantage to open up a 10-point lead.

After two disappointing losses last week, the defending NBA champions have now won two straight.

Josh Smith scored 22 points for the Hawks, and Al Horford finished with 20 and 11 rebounds.

(Writing by Jahmal Corner in Los Angeles; Editing by Peter Rutherford)