Heat makes road statement, hands Philly first home loss

Kendrick Nunn scored 26 points to help the Miami Heat hand the Philadelphia 76ers their first home loss of the season, 108-104 on Wednesday night.

The 76ers had been 14-0 at home, including a 113-86 victory over the Heat last month.

Tobias Harris buried a 3-pointer for the Sixers with 25.5 seconds left that made it 106-104, and they had sudden life when Nunn missed twice at the free-throw line. Al Horford, though, missed an open 3-point attempt from the wing and the Heat escaped in a thriller.

Bam Adebayo scored 23 points and Duncan Robinson had 15 for the Heat. Robinson made a pair of 3s in the fourth that stretched the lead to 14 points, and Nunn buried a 30-footer for a 99-83 lead.

The 76ers’ Joel Embiid, who missed Sunday’s rout by the Nets with an upper respiratory illness, had 22 points and 19 rebounds. Harris scored 20 points.

Jimmy Butler scored 14 points for the Heat and was pretty much a non-factor until late in his second game back in Philadelphia.

Butler was soundly booed the first few times he touched the ball and continued to get jeers throughout the game. He played 55 regular-season games for the Sixers last season, averaging 18.2 points after being acquired in a trade with Minnesota last November.

Butler left Philadelphia in the offseason, signing a $142 million, four-year deal with the Heat in a sign-and-trade. RAPTORS 112, PISTONS 99 >> Kyle Lowry had 20 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists for a triple-double and Toronto had an 11-0 run in the third quarter on its way to the road victory.

The Raptors were without guard Fred VanVleet because of a right knee injury. Then center Marc Gasol left in the first quarter with a left hamstring strain.

Detroit got frontcourt standouts Blake Griffin and Andre Drummond back from their injuries, but still allowed 70 points in the first half and 40 in the second quarter.

PELICANS 107, TIMBERWOLVES 99 >> Brandon Ingram scored 34 points and New Orleans snapped a 13game losing streak.

Lonzo Ball had 10 points, six rebounds and six assists off the bench for the Pelicans.

Playing without leading scorer and rebounder KarlAnthony Towns, Minnesota lost its seventh straight game after shooting 38% from the field.

CAVALIERS 100, HORNETS 98 >> Collin Sexton scored 23 points and Cleveland held off a late Charlotte charge.

The Cavaliers, who had lost 16 of 18, led the entire game but nearly squandered a 24-point lead in the third quarter.

BULLS 110, WIZARDS 109, OT >> Wendell Carter Jr. made a layup with 9.1 seconds left in overtime, completing Chicago’s rally from an 18-point deficit in the fourth.