The Miami Heat gut out a tough win against the Philadelphia 76ers
The Miami Heat welcomed the Philadelphia 76ers into American Airlines Arena for their third season matchup. How would the rubber match in the trilogy go?
The Miami Heat were one of the better teams in the league in general and one of, if not the very best, team at home this season coming into Saturday’s game. They had also already beaten a tough Philadelphia team in their place at the Wells Fargo Center a week or so back, repaying them for the blowout they gave Miami just a few weeks prior to the second matchup.
Knowing the history of the matchup, this season and overall, along with the fact that every team that faces the Heat at this point would be gunning for them because they appear to be a premier team this year, this was sure to be a barn burner. Indeed, a barn burner it was.
The game was pretty back and forth, with both teams going on sizeable runs all throughout the game. The game was so even, that by the time the final horn went off to signal the end of regulation, they were tied at 108. While the reasoning for the tie is a murky one, a very questionable Goran Dragic foul on former Miami Heat swingman Josh Richardson and especially questionable being that Joel Embiid had gone uncalled for harder actions all night, it was a tie nonetheless.
The Miami Heat were able to come out victorious in the overtime though, as they so often have done this season. There are a couple of things to take from this game though.
Jimmy Butler has to hit more of his clutch free throws. He does so much for our team that it is hard to knock him, but at some point and I would say that it has in at least one game this season, not being able to knock down two of two free-throw attempts will cause us to lose a close and crucial game.
We must also find a way to better neutralize Joel Embiid. Although Embiid was somewhat contained until the end of the last game, he was a beast throughout in this one. The referees let him do whatever he wanted to do, while calling every little ticky-tack thing on the Heat, but we still must be better on him.
Next. Set it in stone, Bam Adebayo will be an All-Star this season. dark
With wins on Friday against Indiana and on Saturday over Philly, the Miami Heat have sent a very clear message. The Miami Heat are for real, you better darn well know it.