PHILADELPHIA -- Single-handedly, it seems the Milwaukee Bucks have written the scouting report on how to defeat the Heat this season: slow the game down, force the Heat into its half-court offense and capitalize on the Heat’s propensity for unforced errors.

Or, as Heat coach Erik Spoelstra put it on Thursday, simply disrupt his team’s “karma.”

“When we make a lot of mistakes and have the type of turnovers we had [Wednesday] night, we generally don’t win those games,” Spoelstra said. “And there’s a karma to the game. It affects oftentimes our offensive rhythm and it affects our defense, giving up easy pick-sixes going the other way.”

Even on a night when LeBron James scored 40 points, the Heat could not overcome its bad karma in Milwaukee. Miami had 17 turnovers and relied too heavily on isolation magic from James and Dwyane Wade.

As a result, the Heat’s role players, including Chris Bosh, had a hard time getting involved in the offense.

The Heat practiced on Thursday in Philadelphia and used the time to work on defense and ball movement.

On Friday, the Heat plays the red-hot Sixers, who are riding high after defeating the Bulls on Wednesday.

For the Heat, finding inner peace will be difficult inside always-raucous Wells Fargo Center. The Heat has averaged 19 turnovers per game in its last five losses, four of which have come on the road.

“If we’re making a lot of mistakes and it’s going for a lot of easy baskets the other way, that will take the spirit out of a lot of teams no matter how mentally tough you are, especially when those turnovers are unforced,” Spoelstra said.

But turnovers were only half the problem Wednesday. The Heat’s half-court offense bogged down in the second half. As a result, Bosh was off rhythm and the Heat’s bench was a nonfactor.

Bosh was 1 of 7 in the second half, and his points total equaled the contribution of the Heat’s bench. Mike Miller had two points.

“We got back to work and practiced some of the things that have been ailing us, particularly when we’ve had some leads,” Spoelstra said. “Defending with a consistent min-dset and offensively to be able to move the ball and make sure it’s getting side to side without making mistakes.

“So the precision of our half-court offense is something we’ll continue to work on.”

For Bosh, games like Friday against the Sixers offer an important test for the Heat, which last season had a tendency to let poor performances snowball into losing streaks. The Heat’s only losing streak this season came on the road.

“If we lose a game it shouldn’t affect us like it did last year,” Bosh said. “I think we still did a good job last year, but after a loss we had, what, a five-game losing streak?

“It shouldn’t be that long. If we lose one or two we have to make the necessary adjustments and get it done and cut that. So I think that’s the next step and not let it get too long.”

All-Stars named

Fans of the NBA voted Wade and James as starters for the Eastern Conference All-Star team, the NBA announced on Thursday night. The 2012 NBA All-Star Game will be played Feb. 26 at Orlando’s Amway Center.

This is Wade’s eighth All-Star selection and his seventh time as a starter. This is also James’ eighth All-Star invitation. He has started in each game.

“It’s always humbling and gratifying,” James said. “I’m blessed. Every time I become an All-Star I just remember where I came from, being 12 and 13 and 14 years old and living where I was living and being an underprivileged kid and just dreaming of being an All-Star.”