Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers continued their poor run this season, as they lost 106-89 to the Miami Heat. It was a rough night for the 76ers, who looked outpaced and lethargic compared to the Heat. This loss is the 76ers’ fourth in a row and leads them to a 2-11 record this season, the second-worst in the NBA.
Joel Embiid made a late-game decision to play after struggling with an illness. And the effects of that illness showed as he put up abysmal numbers, with 11 points (5-11 FG), eight rebounds, five assists, and a block.
Paul George also struggled, putting up 18 points (5-13 FG), six rebounds, five assists, and four steals, while shooting a terrible 1-7 from beyond the arc. Jared McCain was the only decent performer, leading the team in scoring with 20 points (8-16 FG), four rebounds, four assists, and two steals.
As for the Miami Heat, they were on their game tonight. Jimmy Butler had an outstanding showing, with 30 points (8-12 FG), 10 rebounds, five assists, and one steal. Tyler Herro struggled from deep but still delivered 18 points (6-15 FG), five rebounds, and five assists. Duncan Robinson also delivered an important 13 points (5-14 FG), two rebounds, three assists, and one steal, while shooting a poor 2-10 from deep.
The Heat were not perfect by any means and also had their problems on the court. But they were able to get the win despite their problems. The same cannot be said for the 76ers, who remain one of the worst teams in the league.
Here are three takeaways from the 76ers’ loss to the Heat:
Jimmy Butler Makes The Difference
On a night where almost all players on both teams struggled with efficiency, Jimmy Butler made the difference for the Miami Heat. Playing against his former team, Butler once again showed out, putting up 30 points on an efficient 8-12 shooting.
He also grabbed 10 rebounds, including five offensive rebounds that helped the 76ers get second-chance points. It was a well-rounded showing from Butler, who continues to turn his season around after a slow start with the Heat.
For the season, Butler is averaging 17.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.9 assists, 1.4 steals, and 0.9 blocks per game. He is making 50.0% of his shots from the field, 21.4% of his shots from deep, and 78.3% of his attempts at the free-throw line.
76ers’ Star Duo Disappoint Yet Again
The pairing of Paul George and Joel Embiid has not yielded the positive returns many fans and analysts initially expected. In what can only be considered a snake-bitten start to the season, both players were out injured and had to wait to make their return. Many credited the 76ers’ poor start to the season to their absence.
But with both players fit and ready to play, the 76ers are still struggling to get things going. Tonight, Embiid had a disappointing 11 points, whereas George delivered an inefficient 18 points. These are not the numbers people expect of an All-Star duo on a championship team.
While Embiid’s struggles can be attributed to his illness, there has to be frustration setting in. It appears as though there is always an excuse when it comes to Embiid’s poor performance. Nick Nurse has to make some drastic changes if this team wants to live up to its championship aspirations.
Heat Take Advantage Of 76ers Weak Defense
The Miami Heat’s win may have just come down to free throws. The 76ers went to the line 12 times and made 9 of their attempts. As for the Heat, they punished the 76ers’ weak interior defense, reaching the free-throw line 23 times and making 21 of their attempts.
The 21 points the Heat got from their free-throw attempts may have been enough to seal what ended up being a 17-point victory for them. This weak interior defense is going to be regularly punished unless the 76ers make some changes.
Joel Embiid must be the marshall of the team in the paint, as he is one of the best bigs in the entire league, and should be delivering elite rim-protecting performances. Paul George, while past his prime, is still an excellent defender and must get better in that role.
The 76ers will not have time to dwell on this loss, as they must turn their focus to the Grizzlies, whom they face at the FedEx Forum this Wednesday at 8 PM ET. Nick Nurse must get his house in order against what is one of the trickiest teams in the NBA to play against.
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