and that felt good," said Donovan, who was making his eighth app

MIAMI -- For Philadelphia, the season finale was about whats coming next year. For Miami, its about whats coming next week. And really, nothing else mattered. Thaddeus Young scored 20 points, Michael Carter-Williams had 12 in the final game of his impressive rookie campaign, and the 76ers wrapped up a dismal season by topping the Heat 100-87 on Wednesday night for their second win of the season over the two-time defending NBA champions. Brandon Davies had 11 points, while Henry Sims, James Anderson and Casper Ware each scored 10 for the 76ers (19-63). "We stuck together," Young said. "We did a very good job of staying together, playing as a cohesive unit. Sometimes the odds were stacked against us but we didnt let that get us down." Dwyane Wade scored 16 points in 23 minutes for Miami (54-28), which got 13 from Toney Douglas and 11 from Ray Allen. Shane Battier -- in his final season barring a seismic change of heart -- scored nine points and eclipsed the 30,000-minute mark in his regular-season career. "Couldnt be more proud of my guy," Battiers wife, Heidi Battier, wrote on Twitter. Her husband half-seriously talked about the milestone with Heat coach Erik Spoelstra earlier in the day. "If you had told me when I was a little boy that one day youre going to play 30,000 regular-season NBA minutes, Id have said Get out of here," Battier said. "Even at 35, 13 years in, the novelty of playing in the NBA and living my dream is still there." The Heat -- who came into the night locked into the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs -- rested LeBron James, Chris Bosh, Mario Chalmers, Rashard Lewis and Chris Andersen, and found out before the game that their quest for a third straight NBA title opens Sunday at 3:30 p.m. Their first-round opponent: Charlotte. "That team competes very hard," Wade said. Miami went 4-0 against the Bobcats this season, though one was a one-point game and another went to overtime. And since Miami landed James and Bosh, the Heat are 15-0 against the club now owned by Michael Jordan, a guy who knows a thing or two about three-peats and whose jersey was retired long ago in Miami as a show of respect. "Theyre a worthy, worthy opponent," Spoelstra said of the Bobcats. "So weve got to get to work." The last time Miami and Charlotte met was March 3, when James scored a career-high 61 points. Wednesdays game was decided in the third, when the 76ers outscored the Heat 29-15. By then, Wade had played 23 minutes in one last tuneup, and the Heat seemed content to get the second season started. "Our record doesnt show we had a good season but the main thing is we stayed together," Carter-Williams said. Philadelphia finished with the leagues second-worst record, but has the expected rookie of the year in Carter-Williams and could have as many as seven picks -- two of them out of the lottery -- in this years draft. This year was bleak. The future shouldnt be in Philly. "The relief that the season has ended truly does not creep into my mind because its trumped by the excitement that I see going forward," 76ers coach Brett Brown said. "Im so excited to watch the direction of ping-pong balls. Im so excited to watch what we do with our summer leagues. ... I see the foundation." Brown said it was a season where he wanted to emphasize fitness and start building a culture when it comes to professionalism in terms of absorbing scouting reports, weight-room sessions and studying video. He thinks that was accomplished. "At times I get excited because I think I know something others may not," Brown said. "I feel like were heading in the right direction. I hope we can get some luck with the draft and move our program forward." NOTES: It was Fan Appreciation Night in Miami, and Battier addressed the sellout crowd in a brief pregame ceremony. "Lets go Heat and lets go get this ring," said Battier, who logged nearly 40 minutes, his most since the 2011-12 season. ... Brown, who was an assistant with San Antonio before taking the 76ers job last summer, plans to fly there Thursday night to visit with Gregg Popovich and the Spurs staff. ... Greg Oden returned to the Miami lineup, his first appearance since March 26 because of back issues and more recently, a stomach virus. He had two points and five rebounds in 13 minutes. Old Skool France . According to TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun, Brodeurs agent Pat Brisson has spoken to six teams so far regarding the veteran goaltender. Old Skool Pas Cher . He could have transferred when academic sanctions barred the Huskies from the NCAA tournament his junior season. http://www.pascheroldskool.fr/ .Y. -- AJ Allmendingers journey is almost complete. Vans Old Skool Soldes .J. Ward appeared in court Friday on misdemeanour charges that he threw a glass mug at a bartender at a Denver strip club. Old Skool Pas Cher Chine . -- David Price didnt think he would be in Port Charlotte this spring.TORONTO – Sour tones emanated as deeply from the Maple Leafs dressing room as they have all year after yet another flattening loss, one that dug the pit of current despair ever deeper. Toronto was trounced at home on Tuesday night by a young and plucky Florida Panthers squad. It was the 11th loss in the past 15 games, a stretch that includes exactly one regulation win. "We simply got embarrassed," said Mason Raymond, outwardly peeved with the performance in a 3-1 loss at the ACC. "Its pretty simple. I dont think guys can be happy with that at all. We got embarrassed at home." Utterly flat for the opening 40 minutes, the Leafs, playing their fifth game in seven nights, were outworked and overmatched in nearly all regards by an enthusiastic Panthers bunch. Florida scored the opener before four minutes had elapsed on the clock – a Nazem Kadri offensive zone giveaway springing a Tomas Fleischmann breakaway – adding a pair in the middle frame. Though they were surely fatigued, the Leafs lacked little of the gusto or gumption required to turn the corner of a lingering skid. Lost defensive zone battles often appeared a matter of will. Tuesday suitably marked the 12th time in 13 games that they allowed three goals or more, a product of ongoing inadequate team defence (more in Five Points). "They won more puck battles than we did," said Randy Carlyle of the Panthers. "All the 50-50 pucks that were available to us, I would say that they won the majority of them, specifically in the first two periods." Offensively, they were too often a one-and-done attack for the coachs liking, opting for the extra pass or play in the name of simplicity. There was little of the sustained offensive zone time that manifested itself in a stunning weekend win against the defending Stanley Cup champs. "We were guilty of trying to be too cute," said Carlyle. "Too many curls and drags versus putting our head down and driving the puck towards the net and maybe scoring an ugly goal. I classified our game as we tried to play shinny against an NHL hockey club tonight." The Leafs have endured their fair share of misery since the outset of November. Nothing summed up the despair quite like losing twice in a matter of weeks to the lowly Sabres and Blue Jackets. But for maybe the first time on Tuesday, there was a real sense among those players assembled that the struggles had reached a low point. "I dont think were going to make excuses," said Dion Phaneuf, admittedly off-kilter in his performance against Florida. "We know that weve got to play better and were the guys that are going to get us out of this. Its about what were going to do in this room to find a way to get out of this funk that were in." The Panthers may have won five of six entering the evening, but they sat as the second-worst team in the Eastern Conference. And yet they managed to "embarrass" the Leafs on home ice. "We either have half a team or a full team that dont show up at parts and then things go wrong," said James Reimer, who yielded three goals on 23 shots. "We need to find a way to come and bring it every night or for 60 minutes a night and then do that consecutively." "The coaching staff is frustrated. The players are frustrated. Im sure management is frustrated. Im sure our fans are frustrated," said Carlyle. "Is it a crisis? Its a crisis that we havent won enough games. Thats the way I would deem it." Five Points 1. An Excuse or Reality? The Leafs were playing their fifth game in seven nights and certainly appeared low on gas early (though they managed to muster something late). The mere mention of the schedule, however, caused most to recoil. "Theres never an excuse," said Reimer. "Theres never an excuse. Injuries, tired – its all BS. Those are excuses and theyre useless. What it comes down to is your will, your heart, your character." Additionally, Reimer said, injuries would not be blamed for the ongoing struggle. "We should be able to win with half of our guys out," he said. "You just find ways. You trust each other. You believe in each other and you play with that confidence. Thats the case here. I have full and absolute faith in my teammates, the coaches and everyone. Weve done it before, weve done it last year and weve done it this year. Its just a matter of putting it together and I have no doubts we can do it." 2. No Defence No longer saved nightly by the heroic efforts of their two goaltenders – as they were in October – the Leafs havve been a wreck defensively since the outset of November.dddddddddddd. During a stretch of 22 games, beginning on Nov. 2, theyve allowed 71 goals or an average of 3.23 per game. Theyve allowed three or more in 16 of those 22 games, losing 14 times. Among those who struggled in that regard against the Panthers was Phaneuf. There was the inability to track down Fleischmann on the opening goal and the giveaway to Brad Boyes on the third Florida marker. "Ive got better," he said. "I made some mistakes tonight that are unacceptable." 3. Gardiner Benched A strong message was sent to Jake Gardiner on Tuesday night. Gardiner was benched for the final eight-plus minutes of the second and opening 10 minutes of the third. The 23-year-old gave the puck away to Sean Bergenheim in the defensive zone, an error that preceded the Panthers second goal. "Its pretty hard to defend," said Carlyle of the error. "Youve got to expect to have a higher level of execution than that in that situation. I thought that in the game he struggled with the puck." Carlyle felt that Gardiner was often careless with the puck, throwing it away in too many situations. "Right now those are compiling to us receiving the game too often," he said. "(But) I wouldnt say hes the only guy that made them." Gardiner was coming off a similarly difficult finish in a loss to Pittsburgh on Monday evening. He made two errors that preceded Sidney Crosbys eventual game-winner; there was the icing that pinned the Leafs in the defensive zone and the failed clearing attempt following a faceoff win by Jay McClement. Gardiner played just 16 minutes. 4. Starting Slowly There was the feeble first period effort in St. Louis, the wobbly opening in Pittsburgh and another stunted opening 20 (and 40) against Florida. Kadris offensive zone giveaway with less than four minutes gone sprung the Fleischmann breakaway and the games opening goal. It was the 17th time in 36 games that an opponent had scored first on the Leafs and the 12th loss in such situations (4-11-1). "Our starts need to be better," said Raymond, who scored the Leafs lone goal. "Thats a big part of it. I think stats show when you score the first goal odds are in your favour to win the game." The Leafs are 13-5-2 when scoring first this season. 5. Searching for Balance Raymond entered the night as the Leafs third-leading scorer and yet began Tuesdays game alongside Troy Bodie and Trevor Smith. He was replaced on the second unit by David Clarkson, who returned from a two-game suspension. It was an odd move, one likely aimed at sparking Clarkson while balancing out the offence. "Thats a tricky thing," said Carlyle. "We tried to spread a little more offence with moving Raymond down. It probably wasnt fair to him…but I thought that would be an opportunity for them to play against lesser players with some speed out there. But that didnt work for us." By the third frame, Raymond was reunited with Peter Holland and Joffrey Lupul, scoring the Leafs lone goal on a redirection. Already down Dave Bolland and Tyler Bozak at centre ice, the Leafs would lose Smith to a broken hand in the third frame of the loss. He blocked a Scotty Upshall shot and did not return. The organization has already tested its ranks at centre with the Smith recall and Holland trade, also trying its hand for a lengthy stretch with long-time NHLer Jerred Smithson. Its more adversity to a group that already has its fair share of it. Stats-Pack 16 – Number of times in the past 22 games that the Leafs have allowed three goals or more. 3.23 – Goals against per game since the start of November. 15:27 – Ice-time for David Clarkson in his return from a two-game suspension. 11 – Losses for the Leafs in the past 15 games. 1 – Regulation victory in those 15 games, a 7-3 bashing of the Blackhawks on Saturday. 16:03 – Ice-time for Jake Gardiner against Florida, his lowest since mid-November. 11 – Goals for Mason Raymond this season, surpassing the 10 he had in 46 games a year ago. Special Teams Capsule PP: 0-2Season: 23.7% (4th) PK: 2-2Season: 77.3% (27th) Quote of the Night "We simply got embarrassed. Its pretty simple. I dont think guys can be happy with that at all. We got embarrassed at home. I think we got beat out all over the ice in almost all situations. Its something we need to improve." -Mason Raymond, following the loss to Florida. Up Next The Leafs host the Coyotes at the ACC on Thursday night. ' ' '