Simmons' 24 points not enough as Sixers fall to the Heat

Philadelphia didn't have an answer for future Hall-of-Famer Dwayne Wade on Monday and it cost them as Miami evened their Eastern Conference playoff series at a game each with a 113-103 victory over the Sixers.

Philadelphia had won 17 straight games prior to the loss, with 16 of those wins coming during the regular season to conclude the regular season. The 17 straight wins was the most consecutive wins by a Sixers team since the team won 14 straight during the 1982-83 season.

Wade lit up Philadelphia for 28 points in the win, while Ben Simmons led the Sixers with 24 points. The Sixers trimmed a 16-point deficit to just two points in the fourth quarter Monday but Miami pulled away for the win.

The series resumes Thursday at Miami for Game 3 at 7 p.m. Eastern Time. Game 4 will also be played at Miami.

Philadelphia is looking for its first NBA championship since Julius Erving and Moses Malone led the team to the crown in 1983.

"To me, it's the reality of NBA basketball and it will only get harder," head coach Brett Brown, who has four championship rings from his days as an assistant coach for the Spurs, said to the Philadelphia Metro. "Our guys will learn more about themselves than they've learned in the regular season for however long we play in the playoffs. We haven't lost since March 13 and this game equals the NBA playoffs. This is a snapshot of what you should expect when a team is going to go down 2-0 if they are unable to find a win."