MIAMI (AP) — Hassan Whiteside scored 30 points and grabbed 20 rebounds, Dion Waiters needed only 10 shots to score 21 points and the Miami Heat pushed their winning streak to 10 games with an easy 125-102 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday night.
Whiteside had a double-double after the first 9:38, and posted the first 30-20 game of his career even while sitting out the fourth quarter. He played just 27 minutes.
Goran Dragic had 16 points and eight assists for Miami, and Tyler Johnson also scored 16. The 10-game streak is the longest current one in the NBA, and ties Houston for the second-longest in the league this season. Golden State won 12 straight in November.
Ersan Ilyasova scored 21 for Philadelphia, which was without Joel Embiid, Jahlil Okafor and Robert Covington. Embiid missed his fifth straight game with a left knee problem, and Okafor sat with right knee soreness. Covington has a right hand contusion.
The 76ers were outrebounded 49-33, and shot 42 percent compared with 59 percent for Miami.
Without Embiid and Okafor, the 76ers went with Nerlens Noel starting off trying to guard Whiteside.
It didn’t work.
Whiteside made his last eight shots of the first half, had 17 points and 11 rebounds before the first quarter was over, and the Heat were off and running. Miami led by as many as 18 early, took a 12-point lead into the half and then were up 100-75 going into the fourth.
https://twitter.com/MiamiHEAT/status/828077889736343552
TIP-INS
76ers: Philadelphia used its 20th different starting lineup. Noel started for the fourth time this season. … Covington (right hand contusion) was listed as questionable a few hours before the game, and Okafor was listed as probable not long before tip-off. … Embiid is not expected to be with the 76ers when they visit Detroit on Monday.
Heat: It was Miami’s highest-scoring non-overtime game this season. … Okaro White started the second half for Rodney McGruder, who was ruled out at halftime with an illness. White’s 10-day contract is expiring, and the Heat will need to make a roster move Sunday if they decide to sign him for the rest of the season. … On “Kids Day” in the arena, James Johnson brought his young son onto the court and held him during the playing of the national anthem.
STREAKING
Not only has Miami won 10 straight overall, it has now won eight in a row at home — improving to 13-13 at AmericanAirlines Arena this season.
WAITERS WATCH
Waiters’ hot streak continued. He was 7 for 10 from the field and 5 for 6 from 3-point range (missing his last). As if that wasn’t enough, Syracuse rallied to beat Virginia at the Carrier Dome earlier in the day — but he wasn’t watching. “I was sleeping,” he said.
PHILLY VS. WHITESIDE
The 76ers haven’t exactly had an answer for Whiteside in 2016-17. He’s got 62 points and 33 rebounds in two games against Philadelphia this season, on 75 percent shooting — 27 for 36.
UP NEXT
76ers: Visit Detroit on Monday, ending a four-game trip.
Heat: Visit Minnesota on Monday, starting a four-game trip.
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