The 76ers pulled off a gutsy 106-102 win over the Miami Heat at Wells Fargo Center on Thursday night. Joel Embiid was sidelined for the first of what is expected to be three games due to knee soreness. While it wasn't pretty, a win is a win, and this was their 38th of the season as they fight for playoff positioning.
Related: Kevin Hart gives us a glimpse of the real Ben Simmons
Here are my observations.
Embiid's Absence Was Glaring
You may think this is fairly obvious, but facts are facts. The Sixers are a much different team without Embiid, as this game shouldn't have been this close. The Heat are inferior to what the 76ers present on an nightly basis.
"It's definitely different" Tobias Harris said. "He's the best center in the NBA. But, with him being down, we still should win these games. We have too much talent to think any different."
Credit is deserved where credit is due, and this win didn't happen without some decent to impressive performances.
The Bobi Show In Full Effect
.@BobanMarjanovic posts 19 points and grabs 12 boards in the win vs Miami! #HereTheyCome pic.twitter.com/ZiswrKqtwA
— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) February 22, 2019Boban Marjanovic, the extremely likable 7-foot-3 center who filled in for Embiid, was outstanding in the first half, scoring 16 points on six-of-six from the floor with eight rebounds in 14 minutes.
"He's really incredibly skilled for a man of his size," Brett Brown said.
Marjanovic quieted down in the second half, finishing with 19 points and 12 rebounds, evidence that 27 minutes may be more than what he's capable of. That being said, when Marjanovic wasn't in the game, the Sixers interior defense was brutal, as Miami would often get easy baskets at the rim. The easy baskets observation will probably be argued by many who watched this game, which leads to the next observation.
Smaller Lineup
As the game rolled on in the second half, Brown decided to go with a smaller lineup, sometimes playing Jimmy Butler at point guard and Ben Simmons in the front court. This strategy definitely had more positives than negatives, especially considering the Sixers went from scoring 16 points in the third quarter to 33 in the fourth.
"I feel like we do have the ability to get creative with this team that we have," Brown said. "And so, perhaps, we'll go that route as this thing unfolds."
Brown's strategy defensively with the smaller lineup was to switch everything. But, my main sticking point is the absence of a rim protector. When Embiid is healthy, the Sixers will often always have a rim protector with either Embiid or Marjanovic in the game. When Marjanovic was out, the rim protection vanished. This probably won't be the last time you see a Brown use a smaller lineup, especially during this period without Embiid. But, while it certainly played its part in a Sixers victory, it came with a risk as well.
Harris Stepped Up In Crunch Time
.@tobias31 scores a team-high 23 points and collects 11 rebounds in the win over Miami! #HereTheyCome pic.twitter.com/aRN72PteuE
— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) February 22, 2019While the first half was "The Bobi Show," the fourth quarter was "The Tobi Show." Basically, "The Tobi and Bobi Show" certainly occurred at Wells Fargo Center Thursday, just split into two very separate parts. Harris scored 23 points, 11 of which came in the fourth quarter, a frame which the 76ers scored 33. Harris was the leading scorer in Embiid's absence.
Simmons Aggression On Offense
.@BenSimmons25 records 21 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists in the win! #HereTheyCome pic.twitter.com/lFUHuwu4AB
— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) February 22, 2019Simmons scored 21 points on the night, including eight straight for the 76ers late in the third quarter. He worked in some mid-range fadeaway jumpers, which is always a good sign. If he can build the reputation of being an decent scorer from 15-feet out, teams like Boston will have a much tougher time guarding him.
"I was just a little frustrated with how the game was going, so I tried to take it in my own hands in terms of just being more aggressive in getting to the rim and scoring," Simmons said.
Depth Remains a Major Issue
Depth was a problem for the 76ers with Embiid in the lineup, so it's not like that was going to magically fix itself without him. The Sixers bench was outscored 41-12, and Brown didn't use T.J. McConnell much until the fourth quarter, which is when the backup point guard got most of his 11 minutes. McConnell was the spark the Sixers needed, finishing with six points, timely defense and crucial play making.
"There was an instant sort of injection of T.J.," Brown said. "It's another reminder for all of us how he can come in and without significant minutes, change a game's tempo, and he did that."
He certainly deserved more playing time than he received.
Three-Point Shooting Dismal Despite Clutch Shots Late
The 76ers shot a putrid seven-of-26 from three-point range, but three of those makes were massive points late in the game, two of which came from JJ Redick. While the Sixers was awful from deep, it's not like the Heat were much better, going six-of-23. It's why they should've blown this team out if Embiid was on the floor.
Impressive Tribute To Dwyane Wade
Respect, @DwyaneWade! #OneLastDance@budweiserusa | #HereTheyCome pic.twitter.com/1Jtxn78sPc
— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) February 22, 2019As Dwyane Wade entered the game in the first quarter in what's his last regular season appearance at Wells Fargo Center, the Sixers played a video tribute on the jumbotron that featured a message from Allen Iverson, and Sixers fans responded by giving Wade a standing ovation.
"To take myself out of the moment and to think about 20 some odd years later, Allen Iverson would be the one, his voice would be the one dedicating something to me in his arena, in his city, I couldn't have written it any sweeter, any better," Wade said. "I'm so appreciative of obviously every organization that do something like that, because they don't have to. Guys know he's one of the two reasons I wear No. 3. Every time I see him it's all love and I appreciate that and I try to rep that No. 3 to the fullest, so I hope I made him proud."
