With a 106-92 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 1, the Miami Heat take the lead in the series. Despite Joel Embiid’s absence, the Sixers fought hard for much of the game and even took the lead at one point, but Miami responded and pulled away in the second half to take a 1-0 series lead in the Eastern Conference semifinal.
Tyler Herro led Miami with 25 points, while Bam Adebayo contributed 24 points, 12 rebounds, and four assists in the victory. The Sixers were led by Tobias Harris, who scored 27 points, and James Harden, who had 16 points, nine rebounds, and five assists. In the second half, Miami wore down Philadelphia.
That accolade went to Heat big man Bam Adebayo (eight of ten field-goal shooting), who had a double-double with 24 points and 12 rebounds, passing Dwayne Wade for the most double-digit scoring and rebounding games in Heat team history. Adebayo now has 11 such games, trailing only LeBron James’ 25.
Jimmy Butler (15 points), P.J. Tucker (10 points), and Gabe Vincent were the other Miami players in double figures (10 points).
The Embiid-Adebayo showdown was expected to have a big impact on the series’ result. Adebayo provides the Heat with an advantage inside until Embiid returns. He finished with 24 points, 12 rebounds, four assists, two steals, and a block in just 24 minutes.
DeAndre Jordan took over for Embiid in the starting lineup, sharing minutes with Paul Reed and Paul Millsap. Jordan and Reed combined for 11 rebounds and eight points.
In the Second Portion, Heat is used to Secure the Clamps
Early on, the 76ers threatened to keep things tight, going on a 12-0 run in the second and third quarters to take a 55-50 lead. Maxey was a tough defender, and Harris stepped up in Embiid’s absence with a 27-point performance.
The Heat, on the other hand, responded with a 10-0 run in the third quarter to grab a 70-61 lead. In the fourth quarter, they pushed it up a notch, holding the 76ers scoreless for 4:40, prompting Rivers to bench his starters.
ALSO READ: At a Netflix comedy show, Pete Davidson Counter to Kanye West’s comments.
Adebayo scored 24 points, grabbed 12 rebounds, and dished out four assists while shooting 8 of 10 from the field. DeAndre Jordan was named to the starting lineup for the 76ers. In a committee effort to replace Embiid’s big vacuum, Paul Millsap and Paul Reed joined him in the post.
They shot 4 of 8 from the field and combined for eight points, 12 rebounds, and three blocks. Jordan had four points, two rebounds, and two blocks in his first start, despite only taking two shots from the field. The Heat outrebounded the 76ers 47-37 and had a 15-9 offensive rebounding advantage. In the plus-minus column, Adebayo finished with a plus-26.
For the Sixers, Tobias Harris Steps Up
Tobias Harris has been a good NBA player for a decade, and the Sixers rewarded him with a five-year, $180 million contract in 2019. He’s never been the guy, though.
The Sixers needed more scoring from Harris without Embiid, and he delivered with 27 points on an 11-for-18 shooting. Aside from what Harden did and Tyrese Maxey’s 19 points, he just didn’t get enough help.
