National Basketball Association roundup: Sixers let 17-point lead slip away

The Miami Heat have won 14 of their last 19 home games.

Jahlil Okafor shot 8-20 for 16 points and had a rough game against Whiteside and the Miami Heat interior defense. Bosh finished with 13 points on 3-of-11 shooting while center Hassan Whiteside had 13 points, nine rebounds and eight blocks. Johnson is a second year player formerly in the D-League, and Bosh’s natural position shouldn’t allow him to be any teams best three-point shooter, but with this roster, he has become exactly that.

76ers: Philadelphia’s 15-point halftime lead directly coincided with the 76ers having a 15-point edge in points off turnovers – 17-2 in the first 24 minutes.

It’s not that many expected a Sixers win heading into the game. He created offense when the Heat were unable to score, carrying the team through three quarters.

Sixers coach Brett Brown was hit with a technical foul in the second quarter. “When you’re losing, individual guys, we try to self-will at times”.

Beyond the numbers, the strategy slowed the game down and increased the number of possessions in the game, something that a team on the wrong end of the talent deficit that’s trying to hold a lead usually doesn’t want to do. Surprisingly, the Sixers gave the Heat a run for their money and put together their best effort of the season so far. For the still winless Sixers, Canaan and Robert Covington combined for 43 points of the bench and Jahlil Okafor had a solid double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds. In fact, Covington went 2 for 2 from that same spot – the left elbow – in the opening frame. They shot just 31 percent in the first quarter and trailed by 12.

Bridging the first and second quarters, Philadelphia had a 24-4 run.

In Dragic, the HEAT have a veteran point guard who has made a few rounds in the National Basketball Association and has proven to be an astute floor general.

Offensively, Dwyane Wade took care of the business and scored 17 points in the first half, passing Dale Ellis for 50th on the NBA’s all-time scoring list. Wade later passed Reggie Theus for 49th. Noel had a highlight-reel basket for Philadelphia’s first points of the night.

Jerami Grant, who had been pretty consistent of late, struggled against Miami, going 0-7 from the field, including 0-2 from three point range. In fact, the Heat got as close as two points in the third before the Sixers pushed back. They were 1 of 9 on 3-pointers. Whiteside enters play on November 22 averaging 4.8 blocks in 28.8 minutes per game, which tracks to an unreal six blocks per 36 minutes. “I think it’s a cruel loss”.

NOTES: Heat F Luol Deng (illness) missed practice on Friday but started against the 76ers…. His ability to get to the free throw line these past two games – 7 free throw attempts in each game, and a 41.7% free throw rate on the season – could be a huge addition to his game, and make him a highly-efficient offensive player when his jumper returns to form.

Okafor and Heat rookie forward Justise Winslow, who were teammates last season at Duke, exchanged greetings before the game.