Whiteside powers Heat to 10th straight victory
MIAMI -- Hassan Whiteside produced 30 points, 20 rebounds and three blocks to lead the Miami Heat over the Philadelphia 76ers 125-102 on Saturday night at AmericanAirlines Arena for their 10th straight victory.
Miami also got strong games from its guards as Dion Waiters recorded 21 points and seven assists, Goran Dragic registered 16 points and eight assists, and Tyler Johnson had 16 points and six assists.
The Heat (21-30) has the second-longest win streak in NBA history by a team that is still under .500. The 1996-97 Phoenix Suns set the mark with 11 straight below-.500 victories.
Miami also has the longest active win streak in the NBA and is tied for the second-longest run in the league this season. The Golden State Warriors (12) have the longest run of the season and the Houston Rockets are tied for second with 10.
Ironically, the Heat beat the Rockets and Warriors during this streak.
It is also the best Miami run since it won 10 straight in Novemer/December of 2013.
The Heat, who completed a four-game homestand, will try to keep their string of wins going Monday at the Minnesota Timberwolves, the first of Miami's four-game road trip..
Philadelphia (18-32) was led by Ersan Ilyasova's 19 points.
Whiteside dominated the first quarter with 17 points and 11 rebounds, carrying the Heat to a 32-17 lead. Whiteside made 8 of 10 shots and had almost twice as many boards as the 76ers (six).
The 76ers cut their deficit to 64-52 at halftime as Ilyasova scored 11 second-quarter points.
Miami shot 63.2 percent in the third quarter and led by as many as 27 points before settling for a 100-75 advantage. The 76ers never challenged in the fourth quarter as Miami put up a season-high in points in games that ended in regulation.
NOTES: 76ers rookie C Joel Embiid (bruised left knee) was out for the eighth time in the past nine games and is unlikely to play Monday against the Detroit Pistons. ... 76ers C Nerlens Noel, who was out with an upper-respiratory infection, made his fourth start of the season. ... 76ers F Robert Covington (right-hand contusion) sat out. ... The Chicago Bulls are reportedly interested in trading for Sixers PF Jahlil Okafor, a Chicago native. ... PG Briante Weber, who was the last player cut by Miami in training camp, signed a 10-day contract with the Golden State Warriors. Weber, playing for the Heat's D-League Sioux Falls team, was the circuit's Player of the Month in January. He fell one steal shy of a quadruple-double in one game. ... The Heat have a decision to make by Sunday on rookie F Okaro White, who is playing on his second and final 10-day contract with Miami.