Heat at 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers are becoming tough to beat on their own court and look to complete a perfect five-game homestand when they host the Miami Heat on Wednesday. The 76ers have won the first four contests by an average of 15.3 points and are seeking their ninth consecutive victory at Wells Fargo Arena.
The home success has helped Philadelphia win 14 of its last 20 overall games, and its next victory would be No. 30, which would mark the first time the franchise reached that total since the 2012-13 campaign. All-Star center Joel Embiid and rookie point guard Ben Simmons are the key figures in the turnaround, but unsung forward Dario Saric has scored 20 or more points in three of his last four contests after recording 24 in Monday's 108-92 victory over New York. Miami is sliding in the wrong direction with six setbacks in its last seven games after suffering a 115-112 loss to Toronto on Tuesday. All-Star point guard Goran Dragic scored 28 points in the defeat as he bounced back from a horrid effort in a win over Milwaukee on Friday, when he produced six on 1-of-11 shooting.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, FS Sun (Miami), NBCS Philadelphia
ABOUT THE HEAT (30-27): Guard Dwyane Wade came off the bench for the second straight game since returning to the franchise and recorded 10 points, 11 rebounds and six assists in just 21 minutes against Toronto. Wade is embracing the role, but coach Erik Spoelstra believes there is a possibility he eventually will replace Tyler Johnson in the starting lineup despite the benefits of having such a player as a reserve. "You're bringing a Hall-of-Fame talent off the bench that really helps your depth and your dynamic," Spoelstra told reporters. "He brings a standard of excellence, a standard of success. It brings confidence out of everybody."
ABOUT THE 76ERS (29-25): Backup point guard T.J. McConnell has become a fan favorite and excelled in Monday's win by posting his first career triple-double with 10 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds. The 25-year-old went undrafted in 2015 due to knocks about his size and shooting after starring in college at Arizona, but his work ethic and relentless nature has led to him carving out a role in his three NBA campaigns. "I just think it's the thing that endears him to all of us," coach Brett Brown told reporters. "You really respect him. He just plays so hard. He's a wonderful lesson for so many basketball players for what perseverance and toughness can bring you to."
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Simmons scored 20 points as the 76ers posted a 103-97 victory over the Heat on Feb. 2.
2. Miami backup C Kelly Olynyk (shoulder) will miss his fourth straight game.
3. Philadelphia swingman Marco Belinelli, who was signed on Monday after being bought out of his contract by Atlanta, is expected to make his debut with the team on Wednesday.