MIAMI - While the Sixers were going 10-5 in January, the Heat were also putting together a hot streak. The Heat have won their last nine games, quickly improving their record to 20-30.
The Sixers will try to put an end to this on Saturday when they visit the Heat in Miami.
We've seen teams go on winning tears, but usually those are accomplished by, well, winning teams. The Heat's recent stretch is more noteworthy given their previous record. They are on the longest winning streak in league history by a team that was at least 19 games below .500 at the start, according to Elias.
The Heat have topped playoff contenders while also taking care of business against struggling teams. The have beaten (in order) the Rockets, Mavericks, Bucks, Warriors, Nets, Bulls, Pistons, Nets (again) and Hawks. The Heat have had a homecourt advantage, with six of those games played in Miami.
Facing the Heat after recent wins against top-level opponents reminds Brett Brown of the situation the Sixers faced against the Mavericks on Wednesday.
"You're going into someplace a little bit like Dallas," Brown said. "Dallas, after you beat the Cavaliers and Spurs, you probably feel pretty good about yourself. Now you're going to Miami. Any time any team wins nine games in a row in the NBA, they've got to feel pretty good about themselves."
Philadelphia 76ers
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The Sixers have been burned by high-scoring guards this season (James Harden, Kyrie Irving, Russell Westbrook, just to name a few). Goran Dragic and Philadelphia native Dion Waiters aren't tearing it up with 50 points in games, but they have been the offensive driving forces behind this recent success.
Over the last nine games, Dragic is averaging 23.3 points (54.1 percent from the field, 51.4 percent from three) and Waiters is posting 21.6 points (49.7 percent from the field, 49.0 percent from three), including a game-winning three against the Warriors. Prior to the streak, they combined for just 31.8 points per game.
There's no talking about the Heat without mentioning Hassan Whiteside. The big man's numbers are actually down during the streak (he has appeared in eight of the nine games) to 12.4 points, 11.6 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game while the backcourt has stepped up in scoring.
Whiteside has already done damage against the Sixers this season. He dropped 32 points, 13 rebounds and two blocks in their first meeting of the season. Whiteside recorded that double-double with Joel Embiid on the court.
Embiid's status is to be determined for Saturday. He has been sidelined by a left knee contusion and did not join the Sixers for their last two games in Dallas and San Antonio. The same uncertainty goes for Robert Covington (right hand contusion) and Nerlens Noel (upper respiratory infection).
The Heat are averaging 107.4 points per game during their streak. They have held their opponents to just 98.1 points per game, second-fewest in the NBA during that period, and outscored them by 9.3 points, third-best margin in the league. The only teams with better point differentials in the last nine games are the Warriors (15.7) and Wizards (10.3).
