Using NBA 2K20 to predict the Miami Heat vs the Philadelphia 76ers

In order to predict how the Miami Heat game against the Philadelphia 76ers will go, we’ll use NBA 2K20’s simulation powers to look into the future.

The Miami Heat head to Philadelphia to face off against the 76ers for the second time in 25 days. Before they tip-off at Wells Fargo Center, we took the matchup to the virtual hardwood for a prediction of round two of the eastern conference heavyweight matchup.

With the Heat sporting an NBA 2K20 record of 1-1, which matches their real-life record since we started doing these predictions, we pick up where the team left off coming from Memphis with a freshly minted L on their foreheads. The 2K gods have not been wrong so far as they’ve predicted exactly how each game will go. Some will call it destiny while others may call it small sample size theater, but that will be tested Wednesday night in Philadelphia.

After receiving just their eighth loss of the season (their first to a sub .500 team all season) Heat forward Jimmy Butler had this to say to Fox Sports’ Jason Jackson:

“We just didn’t guard nobody, man… That’s the direction we’re trending in right now. I feel like we got to take it personally. That doesn’t mean enough to us right now, to man up and take the challenge.”

That challenge is starring the Heat right in its face, but to get our final result, I needed to change a few things prior to tipoff. I’ve cut down the Heats rotation to nine players and distributed the minutes to mimic the action each player saw during Monday night’s loss to the Memphis Grizzlies. Afterward, I headed over to the coaching tab and moved up Coach Spoelstra’s run zone tendency from 5-percent to 50-percent. I also changed Bam Adebayo’s secondary position to power forward since Meyers Leonard’s positions look that way. Lastly, I edited Tyler Herro, Jimmy Butler, and Bam Adebayo’s vitals to allow them to initiate the offense.

Starting lineup

Point guard, Kendrick Nunn

Shooting guard, Duncan Robinson

Small forward, Jimmy Butler

Power forward, Bam Adebayo

Center, Meyers Leonard

Outcome

This game was every Heat fan’s absolute best-case scenario. The match started just like any other Miami Heat away game. A tightly contested first quarter that ended with Miami down 21-18. The Heat went on to take a commanding 57-30 lead at the half and, despite a close fourth quarter, never looked back. The Heat ran the 76ers out of the gym with a final score of 140-106.

Remember when both Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo triple-doubled in the same game a week ago? When I tell you this game was good for them but also featured breakout games for the players Charles Barkley likes to call “the others,” I absolutely mean it. I could only imagine how the virtual fans felt after paying their hard-earned VC to watch the home team lose by 34.

The Heat shot 53-percent from the field on exactly 100 shots (that’s artificial intelligence for you!) and 52-percent on 3-pointers. Miami was able to win the rebounding battle (something they’ve struggled with as of late) and get out on the fast-break winning that category 26-14. The Heat did absolutely everything right on the defensive end while matching their season low of eight turnovers.

The 76ers didn’t necessarily play a lousy game. The Heat were just dialed in and motivated not to drop two games in a row. The Sixers shot 48 percent from the floor and 35 percent from beyond the arc. As expected, Ben Simmons (26) and Joel Embiid (21) lead the scoring charge, but an unexpected contribution of 16 points from rookie Matisse Thybulle helped keep the score closer than it could have at games end.

Player stats

Philadelphia 76ers

Ben Simmons – 25 points, 11 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, game-high 5 turnovers

Joel Embiid – 21 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 blocks

Matisse Thybulle – 16 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 1, steal, 1 block

Furkan Korkmaz – 13 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist

Mike Scott – 8 points, 4 rebounds

For those wondering what happened to the rest of the Sixers starting lineup, the unfamiliarity bug struck them hard as they’ve only played 10 out of the possible 28 games together in the actual NBA, and it showed. Tobias Harris went 2-of-10 for six points, Josh Richardson went 3-of-6 for six points, and Al Horford finished the game with eight rebounds, five assists, and only seven points. That was not going to get the job done against a blazing hot Miami Heat team.

Miami Heat

Jimmy Butler – 32 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, 5 steals, 2 blocks

Tyler Herro – 29 points (10-10FG & 7-7 from deep), 1 rebound, 3 assists

Duncan Robinson – 25 points (7 made threes), 2 rebounds, 1 assist,

Bam Adebayo – 19 points, 18 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal, 2 blocks

Meyers Leonard – 16 points, 9 rebounds, 1, assist, 2 blocks

Heat gets a huge win in virtual Philadelphia with rookie guard Tyler Herro achieving his career-high in points and Jimmy Butler scoring 30 points or more for the third time this season. There was nothing the 76ers could do about it. Maybe the Kylie Jenner curse was in effect, or maybe it was the lack of side to side defense that got the Sixers on the ropes. Either way, it was a party back in South Beach.

Hopefully, the 2K gods remain in our favor.