After the glitter of the Formula 1 Grand Prix won by Max Verstappen on Sunday evening in the presence, in particular, of Michael Jordan and Dwyane Wade, a new big sports evening is announced in Miami on the night of Tuesday to Wednesday. A crucial Game 5 will pit the local Heat against Philadelphia.
The Sixers, who seemed on the ropes, have raised their heads since the return of Joel Embiid. Comeback confirmed in the night from Sunday to Monday by a second success in a row at home against the Floridians (116-108). The Eastern Conference semi-final series is now tied (2-2). The Philadelphia All-Stars duo made the difference against a too lonely Jimmy Butler (40 points, 13/20, 6 assists).
“Nothing has really changed. I just put my shots. »
“Nothing has really changed. I just put my shots”, breathed James Harden in the only moment of the evening when he lacked lucidity. Because if everything has changed for the Sixers, it is precisely because its leader has finally set the sights after a wobbly start to the play-off campaign. Harden stood out in the decisive moments, compiling 31 points (16 in the last quarter) on 8 of 18 shooting, including a nice 6/10 from 3 points, plus 7 rebounds and 9 assists in 41 minutes.
Season MVP runner-up Embiid, who wears a hard mask so he can play after being sidelined with a thumb injury as well as a fractured orbital, added 24 points and 11 rebounds.
Miami down at three points
Despite the clumsiness, on the Heat side, of Kyle Lowry (3/10, 0/6 at 3 points, 6 points, 7 assists, 4 stray bullets), still diminished by glitches in the hip and adductor, Tyler Herro ( 4/12, 11 points) and Victor Oladipo (3/9, 15 points), as well as the absence of Duncan Robinson, not aligned, Miami was still in the game a few minutes from the buzzer (101-106, 45th). The moment Harden chose to draw two of his “step-backs”, his signature 3-point shot. Enough to distance the Floridians – with whom only Bam Adebayo, apart from Butler, held his rank (21 points, 9/12, 7 rebounds, 4 assists) – for good.
20 %
The success of the Heat at 3 points, a catastrophic 7 out of 35 long distance (38% in the regular season), which largely explains Miami’s defeat against the Sixers, author of a very clean 16 out of 33 in the exercise
Erik Spoelstra’s men did not have much to hope for with such a low 3-point success (7/35). Opposite, the return of Embiid rebalanced the game of the Sixers, more bleeding in defense, and freed up spaces, like the found address of Danny Green. The triple NBA champion (2014 with San Antonio, 2019 with Toronto, 2020 with the LA Lakers) in a role of long-distance shooter defender, remains on a brilliant 10 of 13 at 3 points in the last two meetings (7/9 and 21 points in the 99-79 victory of Game 3, 3/4 and 11 points on Sunday evening).
Tuesday’s clash promises to be hot, as the Sixers duo are pumped up. “I don’t think we played our best basketball,” even announced the Cameroonian pivot at the end of Sunday’s match.
