3 observations after Warmth edge out Sixers in closing sport earlier than All-Star break initially appeared on NBC Sports activities Philadelphia
The Sixers didn’t earn the satisfaction of 1 closing win earlier than the All-Star break on Wednesday evening.
They misplaced a back-and-forth matchup with the Warmth at Wells Fargo Heart, falling to a 109-104 defeat and dropping to 32-22 on the season.
Miami improved to 30-25. The Warmth’s Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro scored 23 factors apiece. Duncan Robinson added 20.
The Sixers’ high producer was first-time All-Star Tyrese Maxey, who posted 30 factors, seven assists and 6 rebounds. Buddy Hield had 22 factors and a career-high 10 assists.
The Sixers have been down Joel Embiid (left knee meniscus process), Tobias Harris (left hip impingement), De’Anthony Melton (lumbar backbone stress response), Nicolas Batum (left hamstring pressure) and Robert Covington (left knee bone bruise).
Miami’s Jimmy Butler, Terry Rozier, Josh Richardson and Dru Smith have been out.
Harris, Melton and Batum have been partial contributors within the Sixers’ apply Tuesday, in line with head coach Nick Nurse. The All-Star break ought to “give us an opportunity to get just a few guys again,” Nurse mentioned.
Kyle Lowry, who formally signed with the Sixers on Tuesday evening, is predicted to affix the group after the All-Star break. The 37-year-old Philadelphia native hasn’t performed since Jan. 21 and is ramping as much as return.
“No person competes like that man,” Nurse mentioned pregame of Lowry. “I haven’t had a participant in my total teaching profession that competes like that man. That’s the best praise I may give.”
Listed here are observations on the Sixers’ loss Wednesday evening to Miami:
Offense retains on buzzing with Hield in first half
The Sixers’ offense misplaced no steam following the group’s spectacular win Monday evening over the Cavs.
Hield’s off-ball motion continued to create many prospects. On a properly designed motion, the Sixers had Hield make a UCLA reduce, circle underneath the baseline, after which dash as much as the wing off of two down screens. Hield finally assisted a KJ Martin nook three-pointer.
In fact, something Hield does off the ball tends to fret opponents due to his capturing chops. He’s made at the least 4 threes in every of his first 4 video games as a Sixer.
Maxey was superb conducting the offense within the opening minutes and drained his first three pictures, together with a clean pull-up jumper from the proper elbow. Paul Reed was the final Sixers starter to attain with a lefty layup that lifted the group to a 22-15 lead. The Sixers have been 9 for 11 from the ground at that time.
Whereas the Sixers want a wholesome Embiid to go deep within the postseason, it completely seems that their post-trade deadline group is able to scoring at a excessive charge with out him.
Reed’s trending up going into the break
Miami had a scorching begin Wednesday as nicely, hitting 9 of its first 12 subject targets. The Sixers’ perimeter protection was not top-notch and the group had a number of breakdowns when it failed to trace cutters or just misplaced open Warmth gamers close to the ring.
Adebayo threw down two early alley-oops, scored 10 of the Warmth’s first 17 factors and opened 5 for five from the ground.
Reed’s power was wonderful Wednesday in his eighth consecutive begin. He competed for each single potential rebound and free ball, and he gained lots of these battles. The 24-year-old huge man additionally sunk his first long-distance shot of February and recorded 18 factors and 12 rebounds on the evening.
Since Reed stepped in because the Sixers’ beginning middle on Feb. 1, he’s snagged a number of offensive rebounds in every sport and dedicated simply two complete turnovers. Strong work main into the All-Star break.
Mo Bamba performed 9 minutes as Reed’s backup vs. Miami. Cameron Payne, Ricky Council IV and Terquavion Smith have been the three different Sixers that Nurse used off the bench.
In his third straight sport as a part of the Sixers’ rotation, Council once more regarded like he belonged in a 13-point, four-rebound outing that included a go-ahead three late within the third quarter.
Warmth a tad cleaner than Sixers in closing minutes
Maxey entered the evening because the Sixers’ one wholesome All-Star.
That’s nonetheless the case, although he had an damage scare early within the third quarter. Maxey chased after a free ball, landed within the entrance row, and got here up limping. He went again to the locker room with Sixers head athletic coach Kevin Johnson however returned to the sport a couple of minutes later.
The competition remained tight all evening; neither the Sixers nor the Warmth ever held a double-digit lead. Off capturing nights by Kelly Oubre Jr. (0 for 4 from three-point vary) and Payne (0 for five) harm the Sixers, who went into the fourth quarter trailing by some extent. Oubre picked up his fifth foul with 8:58 left when he crashed in recklessly seeking an offensive rebound.
Following a blowout highway win the evening earlier than over the Bucks, the Warmth nonetheless had an honest quantity left within the tank and slowed the Sixers down by avoiding live-ball turnovers and enjoying sound zone protection. Miami went up 99-93 following a tricky Robinson three and an Adebayo slam.
The Warmth’s execution was a bit sharper throughout the board down the stretch. Hield had a few late giveaways and the Sixers struggled to generate offensive circulation. In the meantime, Jaime Jaquez scored a put-back layup, Herro sunk a mid-range jumper, and Miami made extra pivotal performs.
The Sixers pressured the Warmth to work till the buzzer, although. They created a Miami turnover within the backcourt and Maxey then transformed a goaltended floater that reduce the Sixers’ deficit to 105-102.
Nonetheless, Jaquez delivered a devastating dunk on Miami’s subsequent play, flying in to slam residence Robinson’s missed three, and Adebayo fought for a vital offensive rebound with roughly 12 seconds to go.
The Sixers will not be again residence till subsequent Thursday once they’ll meet the Knicks within the first sport of a three-game homestand.
