The Miami Heat became the first team to book a ticket to the Conference Finals. In Game 6 at the Philadelphia 76ers, the Heat won 99-90 for a strong Jimmy Butler thanks to a dominant second half.
Miami is in the conference finals for the sixth time under head coach Erik Spoelstra, and for the second time with Jimmy Butler as a franchise star. The forward scored 14 of his 32 points (13/29 FG, 8 rebounds) in the third quarter when the Heat were able to break away decisively (25:15). In addition to Butler, Bam Adebayo (10, 5/5, 8 rebounds) and Max Strus (20, 6/13, 11 boards) were convincing, PJ Tucker (12, 6/9, 9 rebounds) showed a good second 24 minutes.
After a decent first half, the Sixers didn’t do much together. James Harden (11, 4/9, 9 assists, 4 TO) only took two shots in the second half and didn’t get a point, Joel Embiid (20, 7/24, 12 rebounds) looked completely exhausted and was hit by the heat Defense worn down over the course of the game. Tyrese Maxey (20, 9/24) and backup guard Shake Milton (15, 6/8) were the most likely to defend themselves against the impending elimination.
The game started with a shock for the hosts, when Embiid fell on Danny Green’s leg after three minutes. The forward could only leave the field with the help of the supervisors, it is probably a serious knee injury. The failure particularly affected the Sixers’ spacing, as Matisse Thybulle now took his place. For the Heat, on the other hand, Strus sprayed danger from outside, the guard, like Butler, had 9 points after twelve minutes. The Sixers initially stayed tuned (25:28).
This was mainly due to Embiid, who was now running everything, but who also seemed tired in the middle of the second section. After a few minutes of Her(r)o Ball, the guests also caught themselves, there were cuts and open threes. From a Sixers point of view, it was positive that Harden’s three fell and “The Beard” was able to relieve a little. Miami still took a 49-48 lead into the break.
Jimmy Butler takes over for the Miami Heat in the third quarter
After that, however, the cases swam away from the Sixers. Miami’s defense was great especially Bam Adebayo vs Embiid, Butler took over at the other end and gave the Heat their first double-digit lead of the evening. Philly only scored 4 points over seven minutes, Miami made 19. Milton gave the hosts a little push with 7 points in a row, so that Philly still had a small chance before the final section – 74:63 Miami.
The hosts just didn’t really seem to believe in it anymore. Turnovers, airballs, weak body language – in the hall most had already resigned themselves to fate, seven minutes before the end when Miami had extended the lead to 17 points, the first fans left their seats.They shouldn’t miss much anymore, the Heat played with more passion, a better system and deservedly prevailed. There were shouts of “Let’s Go Heat” and the Sixers players were booed by the remaining fans.
Miami is now awaiting their opponent in the series between the Boston Celtics and the Milwaukee Bucks in which the Bucks lead 3-2. The Heat are expecting the winner of the duel on Wednesday night (2.30 a.m.) for Game 1 of the Conference Finals.
The most important statistics
Philadelphia 76ers (4) – Miami Heat (1) 90:99 (BOXSCORE), Serie: 2-4
- As in the other two games, the Heat had big problems from Downtown. Strus hit three threes in the first half, but the rest of the team only netted one out of ten attempts. It didn’t get better after that, with Miami scoring just 25 percent (7/28) over the game, but the visitors scored 62 of their 99 points in the zone.
- Miami’s third quarter was largely a demonstration of their strength on defense. The Sixers barely got an easy throw and accordingly shot just 27 percent (6/22) from the field. There were also 5 turnovers, which Miami converted to 7 points, and 3 offensive rebounds, 2 from PJ Tucker, who duped Harden for easy rebound points on each.
- Perhaps the most important stat of the game, a team featuring James Harden and Joel Embiid only took 7 free throws over 48 minutes. Harden didn’t even go to the line, that’s never happened when the bearded man was on the field for at least 40 minutes. After all, Embiid drew two shooting fouls, but of course that is also well below his average.
- Embiid is still awaiting his first appearance at the Conference Finals. Although the Sixers reached the playoffs for the fifth time in a row, it was the end of the second round for the fourth time. Philadelphia last reached the round of four 21 years ago, in 2001 Allen Iverson even led the Sixers to the finals, but “The Answer” and Co. lost there to the Lakers 1-4.
Sixers vs. Heat: The Voice of the Game
Doc Rivers (Head Coach Sixers): “I’m not going to make a referendum out of this now because of James. We win as a team and we lose as a team. (…) I came to the conclusion that our team just wasn’t good enough to beat this Heat team . We will build on that and not tear this team down.”
Erik Spoelstra (Head Coach Heat): “There’s nobody in this league who wants to win more than Jimmy. He wouldn’t let us fly back to Miami for a seventh game.”
James Harden (Sixers) on his second half: “We ran our offense and then I just couldn’t get the ball anymore.”
The star of the game: Max Strus
The guard is symbolic of the difference between the two teams. The Heat just had more options in this series, more reliable role players and Strus has been exactly that in the last few games. Dangerous from distance (4/9 three points), plus a more than respectable defender. In addition, this time he not only threw at the basket, but also let the ball run. The reward was a career high (regular and postseason) with 5 assists. Also outstanding: Jimmy Butler, who took over the game in the usual manner in the third quarter.
The flop of the game: James Harden
Where was he when the Sixers didn’t get along anymore? The 2018 MVP took just one shot in the third quarter after his three-pointer fell so well in the first half. After that, nothing worked at all with the Guard. No movement, ball losses, not a single free throw. It was another elimination game for Harden in which he was nearly invisible. This dribbling against three Heat players was an example of his performance in the second halfwhich didn’t go down well with Sixers fans at all.
The scene of the game
Early in the second half, boos erupted at the Wells Fargo Center as Miami took the night’s first double-digit lead. It got quiet, especially when Butler fouled Embiid and hit the throw with a foul while falling back over the center. Shortly before, Maxey had not been able to finish in the fast break, instead, Butler hit such an impossible shot on the other side. demoralizing.
NBA Playoffs: Sixers vs. Heat – The series at a glance
| Spiel | Datum | time | Heim | away | result |
| 1 | May 3rd | 1:30 | Miami Heat | Philadelphia 76ers | 106:92 |
| 2 | 5th of May | 1:30 | Miami Heat | Philadelphia 76ers | 119:103 |
| 3 | May 7 | 1 O ‘clock | Philadelphia 76ers | Miami Heat | 99:79 |
| 4 | 9th of May | 2 O ‘clock | Philadelphia 76ers | Miami Heat | 116:108 |
| 5 | 11. May | 1:30 | Miami Heat | Philadelphia 76ers | 120:85 |
| 6 | 13. May | 1 O ‘clock | Philadelphia 76ers | Miami Heat | 90:99 |
| Spiel | Datum | time | Heim | away | result |
| 1 | May 3rd | 1:30 | Miami Heat | Philadelphia 76ers | 106:92 |
| 2 | 5th of May | 1:30 | Miami Heat | Philadelphia 76ers | 119:103 |
| 3 | May 7 | 1 O ‘clock | Philadelphia 76ers | Miami Heat | 99:79 |
| 4 | 9th of May | 2 O ‘clock | Philadelphia 76ers | Miami Heat | 116:108 |
| 5 | 11. May | 1:30 | Miami Heat | Philadelphia 76ers | 120:85 |
| 6 | 13. May | 1 O ‘clock | Philadelphia 76ers | Miami Heat | 90:99 |
