Tonight in the NBA: Heat at Celtics

Tonight in the NBA: Heat at Celtics

The Sixers will travel to Miami on Tuesday to face the Heat.

Here's a look at the action today around the NBA:

Heat at Celtics, 3:30 p.m. 

The Miami Heat will try to avoid an eighth consecutive regular-season road loss to the Celtics when they travel to Boston Sunday.

Ray Allen has missed the last five games with a sore right ankle and may be out again Sunday.

Even in his absence, Boston has climbed to the top of the Atlantic behind Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett.

Pierce has averaged 22.3 points during the Celtics' 6-1 run.

Garnett, 35, has recorded 23.7 per game on 59.3 percent shooting over the last three games.

"I hear you all calling me old. I hear you all calling me ... weathered," Garnett told the team's official website. "I'm motivated. It doesn't really take much to motivate me, man. I'm older in basketball years, but in life I'm 30-something."

Miami defeated Toronto, 113-101, on Friday for just its third win in its last nine on the road.

Nuggets at Magic, 6 p.m. 

The Orlando Magic will try to avoid a third straight loss Sunday against the visiting Denver Nuggets.

The Nuggets are looking for their first back-to-back victories in nearly a month.

The Magic are third in the Eastern Conference and six games behind Miami in the Southeast Division race.

Orlando has not lost three in a row since a season-worst four-game skid from Jan. 26-30.

The Magic, however, are 20-3 at home versus Denver.

Denver is coming off a 99-88 victory over league-worst Charlotte on Friday.

The Nuggets have lost 17 of their last 18 road games against Orlando.

Wizards at Raptors, 6 p.m. 

The Washington Wizards look to avoid a fifth consecutive road loss to the Toronto Raptors on Sunday night.

The Wizards are also looking to post back-to-back victories for just the second time this season.

Washington upset the Sixers, 97-76, on Friday after losing five in a row.

The Wizards hope to carry over the momentum against the Raptors.

"Maybe this is a game we need to have that ice broken," said coach Randy Wittman. "That was spectacular by our guys."

Washington has taken two of three from Toronto this season.

The Raptors have lost six of the last eight. They are coming off a 113-101 loss to Miami on Friday.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Source: http://www.csnphilly.com/basketball-philadelphia-sixers/sixers-talk/Tonight-in-the-NBA-Heat-at-Celtics?blockID=680914&feedID=694

NBA: Distraught Wade leads Heat over Raptors

Dwyane Wade led the Miami Heat to a 113-101 win over the Toronto Raptors on Friday but admitted played with a "heavy heart" after learning his adult nephew had been among those injured in Chicago shooting spree.

Wade scored a game high 30 points in the Heat's 113-101 win over the Toronto Raptors but was understandably preoccupied with the fate of his unnamed nephew, one of six men shot in the incident in Chicago's South side on Thursday.

"I played with a heavy heart," Wade, 30, told reporters, adding he learned of the shooting following the Heat's home win over the Dallas Mavericks late on Thursday. "I played for him, with him in mind. He's my nephew, I was nine years old when he was born."

"A lot of thoughts go through your mind. My prayers go out to all families involved, especially the ones who lost a child. It's tough."

The Chicago shooting spree follows a more high profile shooting involving Trayvon Martin, an unarmed black Florida teen who was shot dead last month by neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman.

The shooting has sparked rallies and protests across the United States and Wade helped put the spotlight on the incident by posting a picture of himself on social media wearing a "hoodie" similar to the one Martin was wearing when he was shot.

Wade's Heat teammates, including LeBron James, also posed together for a photo wearing "hoodies" with their heads bowed.

Eight-time NBA All-Star Wade grew up in Chicago and has established Wade's World Foundation to help curb violence in the city's notorious South Side.

"It's very concerning. A lot of the work I do in Chicago is about this and to have a family member be involved is sad," said Wade.

"It hurts your heart to think about, not only your family but other families going through it. I'm just glad he's fine and hope he recovers."

"It's troubling, it's why not only me but others try to do what we can that we can make a change."

"I remember marching over there a couple of years ago for my foundation with many kids in the community to stop the violence. When it hits home it really hits you hard." — Reuters

Source: http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/253422/sports/basketball/nba-distraught-wade-leads-heat-over-raptors