MIAMI — — In Miami Warmth coach Erik Spoelstra’s thoughts, the damage state of affairs with Joel Embiid doesn’t doom the Philadelphia 76ers.

He figures it’ll solely metal their resolve.

Clearly, the 76ers usually are not going to be a greater group with out Embiid, the scoring champion and MVP finalist presently sidelined by a proper orbital fracture and gentle concussion. That stated, the 76ers performed the Warmth as soon as this season with out Embiid — and received. They’ll attempt to do it once more Monday evening when Philadelphia visits Miami in Sport 1 of an Japanese Convention semifinal sequence.

“Everytime you’re coping with a group that has to alter slightly bit, that instantly will get them a built-in sense of urgency,” Spoelstra stated. “However once more, what we’re attempting to perform, it’s so tough. Whenever you strategy it that manner, that simply places you there to compete at a excessive degree, the required degree that’s going to be required.”

The Warmth aren’t precisely in good well being, both. Jimmy Butler has been slowed by a sore knee, Tyler Herro caught a chilly that was an upper-respiratory-type mess — however not COVID-19 — and PJ Tucker has been coping with a calf situation. (All three anticipate to play Monday.) And Philadelphia native Kyle Lowry missed the final two video games of the first-round sequence towards Atlanta with a hamstring pressure, so the Warmth cannot be sure when their level guard might be 100% once more.

“I believe each rosters are going into this battle figuring out that either side acquired sufficient to get the job finished,” Butler stated. “We’ve acquired a job to do. They’ve acquired a job to do. However I’m banking on the Miami Warmth.”

The 76ers don’t want any hyperbole alongside the way in which to realizing that they’ll have success towards Miami. They want solely to pop within the tape from March 21.

Embiid didn’t play that evening. The 76ers didn’t have James Harden, both. Didn’t matter. Philadelphia outrebounded Miami 45-34, outscored the Warmth 45-30 from 3-point vary and pulled off a 113-106 win.

“Properly, the largest adjustment is we don’t have Joel,” 76ers coach Doc Rivers stated, overstating the apparent for emphasis. “There’s no good factor to it. However we did have one recreation with out Joel towards them and actually, we received the sport however I believed it was greater than they checked out we didn’t have Joel, I believe James was out, so I believe mentally that most likely performed a goal in that recreation. That’s not going to occur now. They don’t care who now we have on the ground.”

The 76ers went 6-8 with out Embiid this season. Plus, with Harden, the 76ers nonetheless have a participant who’s 4 years faraway from being an MVP and two years faraway from being a back-to-back-to-back scoring champion.

“Reality be instructed, it’s simply us determining what we are able to go to by way of the course of a recreation within the playoffs,” Philadelphia ahead Tobias Harris stated. “It’s at all times adapting and work out how the opposite groups is enjoying, what they’re taking away, what they’re permitting, and for us to capitalize in that regard.”

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

Solely six gamers (Tyrese Maxey, Isaiah Joe and Harris for the 76ers; Tucker, Duncan Robinson and Max Strus for the Warmth) performed in all 4 Philadelphia-Miami video games this season. The 76ers’ protection was stellar, with Gabe Vincent (21.0 ppg in two video games) the one Warmth participant to common greater than 20. Staff stats had been extremely shut: Miami had slight edges in factors (404-400) and assists (92-89), Philadelphia had the sting in rebounds (164-159). The 76ers shot 44.8%, Miami 44.6%.

TOP TWO

It’s a matchup of two of the all-time winningest playoff coaches. Rivers (102 wins) is fourth on the NBA postseason listing behind Phil Jackson (229), Pat Riley (171) and Gregg Popovich (170). Spoelstra (89) is eighth behind the highest 4, then Larry Brown (100), Purple Auerbach (99) and Jerry Sloan (98). Enjoyable reality: if Miami wins Video games 1 and a pair of of this sequence then Spoelstra would move Riley — the Warmth president and his boss — in playoff profitable share.

HEAD-TO-HEAD

That is the third Miami-Philadelphia playoff sequence. The opposite two had been first-round matchups: Miami received in 5 video games in 2011, Philadelphia received in 5 video games in 2018. Every group has two gamers remaining on the roster from that sequence — Embiid and Furkan Korkmaz for the 76ers, Olympic gold medalist Bam Adebayo and Udonis Haslem for the Warmth.

CONSISTENT HARDEN

Dwelling, street, it doesn’t matter to Harden. His profession splits are uncanny. For his profession, he averages 24.9 factors at residence, 24.5 on the street. In residence video games, he’s shot 44% from the sphere, 36% from 3-point vary and 86% from the foul line. And on the street, he has the identical percentages. However he’s shot solely 39% at Miami as a professional, his fourth-lowest street share behind Charlotte (37%), Boston (38%) and Indiana (38%).

FANDUEL SAYS

Embiid’s damage has despatched Philadelphia right down to the longest shot left within the playoffs, The 76ers are the largest underdog in any of the 4 convention semifinal sequence. Because the East and West Closing Fours had been starting Sunday, Miami was the second favourite (narrowly behind Boston) within the East and had the fourth-best odds for the NBA title behind Phoenix, Golden State and the Celtics.

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