Hoodie-Clad Heat Win and Send Off-Court Message

LeBron James and Dwyane Wade led the Miami Heat in sending a supportive message over a controversial killing on Friday in addition to scoring the most points in the team's NBA triumph over Detroit.

Wade scored 24 points and James added 17 to lead the visiting Heat over the Detroit Pistons 88-73. Miami improved to 35-11, the second-best record in the NBA, trailing only the Chicago Bulls at 39-10.

But it's what the team did earlier that was the bigger Twitter topic of conversation as Heat players posed for a team photo with all of them wearing hooded sweatshirt, hoodies, with heads bowed and hands in their pockets.

Hoodies have become a symbol in the wake of the shooting death of an unarmed black Florida teenager wearing a hooded sweater by a white volunteer guard last February 26 near Orlando, where the NBA All-Star Game was being played.

No charges have been filed in the shooting death of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, which has prompted calls for a deeper investigation into the incident, which the shooter has said was an act of self-defense.

The Heat hoodie picture was made public in a Twitter posting by James, an NBA superstar, and in the wake of teammate Wade posting a Twitter picture of himself in a grey hoodie.

"It was a powerful statement," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said.

Among the hashtags linked to the team photo James posted was one that said "WeWantJustice". Anothe was "WeAreTrayvonMartin".

"Our hearts go out to the family and loved ones of Trayvon Martin for their loss and for everyone involved in this terrible tragedy," the Heat said in a statement.

"We support our players and join them in hoping that their images and our logo can be part of the national dialogue and can help in our nation's healing."

Wade told the South Florida Sun Sentinel the message was meant to support all who grieve Martin's death.

"I'm a father," Wade said. "It's support of the tragic thing that has taken place. No matter what color, race, we're all fathers.

"When you think about what that family's going through, it hits you hard and it hurts your heart to think about it. Obviously we can't bring him back, but anything you can do to get behind and support is what we're doing."

Some Miami players reportedly wore messages written on their sneakers during the Detroit game that said, "RIP Trayvon Martin" and "We Want Justice".

Other NBA players joined the hoodie movement, including New York Knicks stars Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire, whose team saw a five-game win streak snapped with a 96-79 defeat at Toronto.

Stoudemire scored 17 points and Anthony added 12 and both posted pictures of themselves wearing hoodies on their Twitter pages.

Anthony posted his picture in a grey hoodie with head bowed and in front of it the words "I am Trayvon Martin!!!!!".

Stoudemire wore a hoodie when he arrived at the game and in a pre-game workout and tweeted, "I got my hoodie. Stand up?" with hashtags to "RIPTrayvonMartin" and "justicemustbehad."