2018 NBA Playoffs: (3) Philadelphia 76ers vs (6) Miami Heat
Philadelphia 76ers
The Sixers are probably the hottest team in the league right now. They won 16 consecutive games to end the regular season and they reached 50 wins for the first time since the 2000-2001 season, the last time the team reached the NBA Finals with Allen Iverson and his crew. Despite losing Joel Embiid to an injury that may force him to miss at least Game one of the series against Miami, Philadelphia looks like they are ready to showout without their young big man.
Ben Simmons is leading the team into the playoffs after averaging a triple-double during their 16 game winning streak to close the season. He always pushes the tempo, making the Sixers a very difficult force to contain in the open court, especially with shooters like J.J. Redick and Marco Belinelli being so hot from the perimeter. The NBA playoffs are something new for this young team, who won only 10 games just two years ago, but Brett Brown is looking to challenge every single team in the East. The additions made after the trade deadline in Belinelli and Ersan Ilyasova have made this team deeper and stronger than the beginning of the season. Ilyasova and Belinelli already have playoff experience and the Italian guard Belinelli has won a title with the San Antonio Spurs. If All-Star big man Joel Embiid will return by game two after suffering a facial injury, Philly has a far better chance of winning this series.
Miami Heat
The Miami Heat will not just sit down and be easy pickings in this series against Philadelphia. Erik Spoelstra’s team has the tools to make it tough for the Sixers. Several wing players that can defend the perimeter pretty well in Justise Winslow, Josh Richardson and James Johnson, a big man like Hassan Whiteside that can defend on Joel Embiid and force him to make tougher shots and a veteran like Dwyane Wade that has already delivered heartbreak to Philadelphia during the regular season.
Miami needs to slow down the Sixers’ pace, which was top five in the NBA this season, and force Philly to think more against a set defense, limiting their transition game. During the regular season, Miami and Philadelphia played four times one against each other and the series ended tied 2-2.
Spoelstra is one of the best coaches in the league and has way more postseason head coaching experience than Brett Brown but Brown was on the Spurs staff for much of their dynasty run. The lack of postseason experience for the Sixers could be a mental difference in this series. With Miami’s versatility on the perimeter, the presence of Hassan Whiteside in the paint, one of the best shooters in the league in Wayne Ellington and the leadership of Dwyane Wade, Miami is probably the worst matchup the Philadelphia 76ers could have gotten in the first round of these NBA Playoffs.
Keys to the Series
It’s pretty predictable to say but health will be a key for Philadelphia in this series. The team did well during the final part of the regular season without Joel Embiid but the big man is essential for his team’s playoff hopes. If he’ll only miss one Game one, that shouldn’t derail the team too much. But if he has to miss additional time, that could be a huge problem for Brett Brown’s team. Ben Simmons is already an NBA star in the making but it’s pretty clear that he needs Embiid to really get the best out of the Sixers. Another difference maker in this first round matchup should absolutely be the experience.
Philadelphia has an amazing level of talent but only select members of their rotation, J.J. Redick, Ersan Ilyasova, Amir Johnson and Marco Belinelli, have significant playoff experience. In contrast, the Miami Heat will be making their second playoff appearance in the last three seasons and some of their top rotation players in Dwyane Wade, Goran Dragic, Kelly Olynyk and James Johnson have been to the playoffs on more than one occasion.
Schedule
Game 1 — Heat at 76ers, Saturday, April 14 at 8 p.m. (ESPN)
Game 2 — Heat at 76ers, Monday, April 16 at 8 p.m. (TNT)
Game 3 — 76ers at Heat, Thursday, April 19 at 7 p.m. (TNT)
Game 4 — 76ers at Heat, Saturday, April 21 at 2:30 p.m. (TNT)
Game 5 (if necessary) — Heat at 76ers, Tuesday, April 24 (TBD)
Game 6 (if necessary) — 76ers at Heat, Thursday, April 26 (TBD)
Game 7 (if necessary) — Heat at 76ers, Saturday, April 28 (TNT)
