Sixers Fall To Miami Heat 114-96 In Home Opener
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Chris Bosh had 30 points and eight rebounds to lead the Miami Heat past the Philadelphia 76ers 114-96 on Saturday night.
Mario Chalmers scored 18 points and Dwyane Wade had nine points and 10 assists to help the Heat to their second win in two games.
Tony Wroten had 21 points and 10 assists for the Sixers and Brandon Davies scored 18 points for the winless Sixers.
Expected to challenge the 82-game mark for worst record in NBA history, the Sixers are already 0-3 and could add to that winless streak with three more home games this week.
The Sixers gamely tried to keep up with the Eastern Conference champions and only trailed 87-83 at the end of the third quarter.
But the Heat had too much offensive power inside and out, overwhelming the Sixers.
"Forty-eight minutes is a very long game for the group we have," Sixers coach Brett Brown said before the game. "From an experience and resume perspective, navigating through 48 minutes of an NBA game is really difficult."
The Heat were happy to make it that much harder.
A year ago, the Sixers made their first 11 shots and raced to leads of 19-0 and 26-4 en route to a stunning opening-night win against the Heat.
The Wells Fargo Center was packed again and the Heat was the opponent. That's about where the similarities ended.
Chalmers hit a pair of big 3s in the fourth to help the Heat pull away, including one with 3:20 left in the game that made it 108-92 and sent the crowd fleeing for the exits.
The Sixers gave the fans a brief glimpse of a potential upset when they tied the game three different times in the third and went ahead 82-80 on Wroten's driving layup with 3:24 left in the quarter.
TIP INS:
76ers: Owner Joshua Harris declined comment on a report in The Daily Mirror that he was in talks to buy Crystal Palace, a team in the Barclay's British Premier League. "I never comment on business dealings that aren't fully announced and transacted. That's the way it is," he said. ... Former 76ers great Julius Erving was at the game.
Heat: Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said he respected the way 76ers coach Brett Brown has developed players and tried to instill a winning attitude for a team headed toward a lean season. "From a coaching standpoint, you're always trying to drive them and I think coach Brown has done that," Spoelstra said. "What you see is an incredible motor. These guys are active, they play fast, they play hard." ... Miami F Josh McRoberts made his debut after sitting out the entire preseason because of toe surgery.
UP NEXT:
76ers: Host Houston on Monday.
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