Heat Try to Repeat Last Year’s Script

04/18/2024 Heat Try to Repeat Last Year’s Script

By: Jeff Yoder

Miami is Facing Elimination After Dropping Play-In Game to 76ers

Heat Culture is going to be tested once again, and so will Playoff Jimmy Butler. Miami lost to the 76ers 105-104 on Wednesday night, which means just like last year, Erik Spoelstra’s team is faced with a do-or-die Play-In game. Heat fans are probably expecting this to play out like it did before with Miami upsetting the top seed in the Eastern Conference on the way to a miraculous NBA Finals run. The problem is that even if the Heat plays its way into the bracket on Friday night, the juggernaut Boston Celtics will be waiting in the first round of the NBA Playoffs. They won 64 games, which is 14 more than anyone else in the East and seven more than anyone else in the league.

 

That massive separation between Boston and everyone else is what made the game between Philadelphia and Miami so crucial. Instead of having to win to play Boston, the 76ers get a much more favorable matchup vs. the Knicks, who finished just three games ahead of Philly even though Joel Embiid missed 43 games. The big man made his presence felt against Miami with a team-high 23 points and a game-high 15 rebounds to go with five assists. Embiid showed off his range with a three-point shot that put the 76ers ahead 93-91 with two and a half minutes to play, and he followed that up with a offensive rebound and putback that resulted in a three-point play to cancel out Tyler Herro’s clutch three-point shot for Miami.

 

Miami tied the score with a Haywood Highsmith floater with 90 seconds left, but then Embiid beat a double team and found Kelly Oubre Jr. wide open under the bucket for a layup plus the foul. Herro tried to answer with an equalizing three, but Nicolas Batum blocked the attempt, which allowed the 76ers to close out the game with free throws.

 

Highlights: 76ers def. Heat 105-104

Read More: 76ers overcome sluggish 1st half, rally past Heat (Yahoo)

 

The team trying to keep the Heat out of the NBA Playoffs will be the Chicago Bulls. They ran past Atlanta 131-116 in the night cap thanks to a career-high 42 points from Coby White. Chicago shot a scintillating 57 percent from the floor, including a 15-for-21 performance from White.

 

Dejounte Murray had 30 points and six assists for Atlanta, but it wasn’t enough to keep up with the Bulls, who jumped out to a 40-22 lead after one quarter. The Hawks battled back with a 45-point second quarter and drew within three points, but Chicago pulled away late in the third with a 22-7 run to end the period.

 

Highlights: Bulls def. Hawks 131-116

Read More: Coby White leads Bulls’ offensive explosion (Yahoo)

 

Battle for the Eight Seeds

Friday, April 19

Bulls at Heat, 7:00 p.m. ET, ESPN

Kings at Pelicans, 9:30 p.m. ET, TNT and truTV

 

 Photo:  Tim Nwachukwu / Getty Images