Heat Host Sixers Searching For Fifth Straight Win
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MIAMI (CBSMiami/SportsDirect) – The Miami Heat's roller coaster season has taken a turn for the better of late.
The Heat are dealing with the loss of All-Star Chris Bosh quite well and go after their fifth consecutive victory when the league-worst Philadelphia 76ers pay a visit on Sunday night.
Miami is 7-2 without Bosh (19.1 points) in the last nine games after he was forced out of the lineup due to blood clots, and handed Philadelphia its 11th straight loss Friday 112-102.
Veteran guard Dwyane Wade is averaging 23 points during the winning streak and 26-year-old center Hassan Whiteside has continued to raise his game, producing 18.5 points and 15.3 rebounds over the past eight.
"We've had a lot of different challenges," Miami coach Erik Spoelstra told reporters. "We've had back-to-backs, we've had adversity, we've had (long) road trips – now we're dealing with the same team 48 hours later, preparing for them and coming with another aggressive mindset."
The 76ers were without leading scorer Jahlil Okafor (shin), inside force Nerlens Noel (knee) along with guards Kendall Marshall and Nik Stauskas (both with illness) in Friday's contest.
All four are not expected to return Sunday.
TV: 6 p.m. ET, CSN Philadelphia, FSN Sun (Miami)
ABOUT THE 76ERS (8-54): T.J. McConnell was also on a minutes restriction along with fellow guard Hollis Thompson on Friday and told reporters, "We are dropping like flies out here, man. It's a long season. We've just got to get people healthy."
Guard Ish Smith is averaging 20 points over the past four contests and forward Robert Covington stepped up to pour in 25 points on Friday.
Veteran forward Elton Brand made his season debut on Friday, scoring eight points and grabbing four rebounds in 13 minutes.
ABOUT THE HEAT (36-26): Whiteside is averaging 13.2 points, 11.7 rebounds and a league-leading 3.9 blocks on the season.
"It's been impressive," Wade told reporters. "Credit is due to him. After the All-Star break, he came back a different person on the basketball floor. He's really focused on being dominant night in and night out."
Goran Dragic has also raised his level of play, averaging 18.2 points and 7.4 assists the last five contests, and Joe Johnson scored 14 per game in four outings since being signed as a free agent.
BUZZER BEATERS
- The Heat have won four straight against the 76ers – two this season by an average of only 7.5 points.
- Miami came into Saturday's games second in the league in scoring defense (96.9) and Philadelphia is last in points per game (96.5).
- Philadelphia's rookie F Richaun Holmes was 5-for-7 from the field for 13 points and grabbed a season-best eight rebounds against Miami on Friday.
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