The Miami Heat secured a spot in the Eastern Conference finals by defeating the Philadelphia 76ers in a hard-fought series closer. The Sixers fought hard, but the Heat proved more consistent and versatile as the series unfolded, overcoming a tough road and forcing their opponent into tough decisions late in games. Joel Embiid continued to battle through physical issues and gave his all, while James Harden, who had been hoped to contribute at a higher level, was held scoreless in the second half as Philadelphia faced a difficult end to the season, 90-99 in favor of Miami. The Sixers needed a win in Philadelphia in Game 6 to stay alive, yet the Heat’s collective effort and depth carried them through the pivotal moments in the third and fourth quarters. (via AP)
On the night, Jimmy Butler led the Heat with an impressive 32 points, eight rebounds and four assists, anchoring a balanced attack that shared the ball and attacked the rim consistently. Max Strus delivered a standout performance as well, finishing with 20 points, 11 rebounds and five assists. Miami converted nearly half of its field goals and dominated on the boards, out-rebounding Philadelphia 49-35 and converting extra possessions into points when it mattered most. Philadelphia’s best efforts came from Embiid, who posted 20 points and 12 rebounds, and Tyrese Maxey, who also finished with 20 points. Harden’s quiet night was a focal point of discussion, as he did not impact the game with scoring during the second half. The heat of the moment postgame chatter centered on Harden taking just two shots in the final two quarters and missing both attempts, a surprising development for a player of his caliber. (via AP)
The Sixers’ season-long narrative thus took another tough turn as they dropped a conference semifinal series for the fourth time in five years. The loss was particularly painful given Embiid’s standout regular season and his near-MVP contention, with Jokic ultimately earning the award for a second consecutive year after averaging around 30 points, 11 rebounds and 4 assists per game. The opportunity to maximize Embiid’s prime run by leveraging the playoffs was not fully realized in this series, and Philadelphia left the court facing questions about how to close out high-leverage postseason games. (via AP)
Adding to the evening’s misfortune, Danny Green left the game with a knee injury after a hard fall, further complicating the Sixers’ already taxed rotation. The injury cloud underscored the challenge of facing a deep and cohesive Heat squad that has repeatedly demonstrated it can win in a variety of ways, whether by a star-driven crest or by a collective effort across the roster. (via AP)
Looking ahead, the Heat will square off against the winner of the other Eastern Conference semifinal between the Milwaukee Bucks and the Boston Celtics. At present, Milwaukee holds a narrow 3-2 edge in that series, and Miami will head into the conference finals with confidence stemming from recent trips to the NBA’s conference finals and a desire to add another deep playoff run to a recent history of strong performances. The franchise has been close to a championship in recent years, and this season’s push is part of a broader effort to reconnect with the ultimate prize that has eluded them since the LeBron James era, including the famed 2020 championship run. (via AP)