Heat & Suns Bring the Fire 🔥
05/03/2022
By: Jeff Yoder
Heat Halt Embiid-Less Sixers & Suns Survive Luka Doncic’s 45-Point Night
The second set of Game 1s in the NBA conference semifinals saw the 1-seeds take charge. Both the Heat and Suns kept things hot with balanced team efforts. Joel Embiid’s facial fracture injury continues to be a big storyline in the East while Luka Doncic’s 45-point outburst wasn’t enough to get a win. The playoffs rage on.
Gm 1:Â Heat def. 76ers (106-92)
The 76ers stepped into the semifinals without their leading man, Joel Embiid. And they’ll be without him for Game 2, too. In his absence, the ball fell to the supporting cast who didn’t deliver. Tobias Harris (27 points) carried the Philly offense while James Harden (16 points) was still a shell of ‘The Beard’ we once knew. The Sixers led by one at halftime, but Miami’s second-half surge slammed the door. Bam Adebayo (24 points, 12 rebounds) took advantage of the missing big man, and Tyler Herro poured in 25 points off the bench. Neither team shot it well, but the Heat have a golden opportunity to take a 2-0 series lead in Embiid’s absence. MIA Leads Series (1-0)
Gm 1:Â Suns def. Mavericks (121-114)
Make it six straight Game 1 wins to open a series for Phoenix, and this one was a wire-to-wire win. The Suns led by as many as 21 before a furious Dallas comeback attempt in the final eight minutes that made things interesting. Luka Doncic poured in 45 points (45-12-8), but Phoenix’s balanced attack saw six players in double figures, including 91 points from their starters. Devin Booker flirted with a triple double (23-9-8) while DeAndre Ayton (25 points, 8 rebounds) was a force inside. PHX Leads Series (1-0)
Tonight’s Schedule
Gm 2: Bucks at Celtics (7:00 pm ET)
MIL Leads Series (1-0)
Gm 2: Warriors at Grizzlies (9:30 pm ET)
GSW Leads Series (1-0)
Additional Storylines
B/R: James Harden ‘Exposed’ in 76ers’ Game 1 Loss With Embiid Out
ESPN:Â Keys to Every Round 2 Matchup in the NBA Playoffs
Photo: Michael Reaves / Getty Images