Round 2: Heat vs Sixers

[76ciology]

Reposting what I posted before

Heat Defense.

Heat likes to blitz screens, that allows their bigs to step up while giving then some time to rotate on defense that when the pass is made their defense will be in position.

I expect Heat to put Tucker on Harden, Bam on Embiid. This allows them to simple switch it on defense.

Also expect Heat to zone us on defense if Embiid gets hot on offense.

It would be interesting how the refs would call it against Embiid, Embiid is not facing Birch or Achiuwa that Refs maybe less willing to have Heat play Bam on limited minutes due to foul trouble.

Read on Twitter

They switch heavy like the Raps. They’re not as long and athletic but they’re more aggressive and smarter. They switch and rotate like clockwork

Watch on YouTube

Heat negates mismatches by letting their defender front or gamble then let another guy come to help as a means to switch on defense. Another way is to scram switch, which is to switch before the offensive player attack the mismatch (we saw this frequently when Embiid tries to attack GTJ).

Bam and Jimmy likes to help their teammate who’s being hunted on mismatch, by helping it’s their way of switching on defense.

For instance let’s say Harden attacks Herro, expect Jimmy to send help and trap Harden then Herro rotates to Jimmy’s guy.

Heat could also trap then run zone defense as a way to get back in position on defense

Heat Offense

Heat plays Butler with the same role we saw Siakam did. He will attack the middle, and if we send help he will kick it out. The key here is Tobi, who i expect to be Jimmy’s primary defender, to be able to defend him on single coverage.

Read on Twitter

*jimmy averaged 18ppg on 36% FG% in 3 games against the Sixers in reg season

Next best scorer for the heat in the playoffs are 2-3 guys who averaged only 14ppg

Heat will have Bam involve into a lot of dribble handoff with Duncan Robinson and force Embiid to step out and leave our interior defense naked

Down the stretch, I expect Heat will hunt Maxey and have him defend Jimmy.

Heat Rotation

Heat’s starting unit will be just as strong as how Raps started game 3. They’ll play scrappy defense to make up for the talent difference. If we dont turn the ball over, we’d be fine. If we turn the ball over, we’d be down by +10pts.

The killer in the Heat’s rotation is the bench units. With Robinson and Herro giving them a big mismatch on offense compared to ours. But currently their 5 man unit is not giving too much separation against the Hawks, so that is some good news.

Down the stretch expect Bam-Robinson two man game, forcing Embiid to step out then have a lot of Jimmy iso against Tobi or Maxey and Harden iso against Herro battle.

Herro pull up over a Bam screening him with an Embiid not stepping out is also a good offensive action for the heat.

for the sixers

The only edge Heat has over the Raps in their match-up against us is having Bam, instead of Achiuwa on Embiid.

Jimmy’s edge over Siakam’s scoring is Jimmy can drop 40pts if you dont respect him on defense like what the Hawks did in game 2. But overall, I expect Jimmy to have the same level of offensive power over Siakam and get his 20-24ppg average in this series.

Heat is not as lengthy as the Raps. Their length is comparable with ours, making them an easier match-up against other contenders who has a double big or double 7’ at the 4&5 positions like the Celts, Nets and Bucks. That’s probably one of the reason why we preferred (imo) to be at either 1 or 4 spot and be in this bracket than be royal rumbling mode on the other bracket.

Since Heat is not as lengthy as the Raps, its just gonna be a matter of effort in not getting outrebounded. Heat attacking the middle and dropping it to a cutter around the rim, won’t be as tough to defend whereas guys like James and Tobi can challenge the shots of guys like Tucker and Jimmy around the rim.

People expect Harden to struggle this game. I dont think that would be the case because like the Raps series I expect our team to hunt Struss or Herro and force them to switch unto Harden. Whereas the Heat can’t afford not to have Struss or Herro because of their shooting issue.

[Arsenal]

Is Game 1 on Monday? Or Sunday?

[76ciology]

Is Game 1 on Monday? Or Sunday?

Mon

[Mik317]

barely watched Miami all year and most of our matchups were covid'd or back to backs so neither team ever played at full health.

[ExplosionsInDaSky]

Miami shoots the three ball really well. If they get hot from three, we're gonna get smoked. Gotta stop their role players. Robinson, Tucker, Strus...can't have them killing us from deep. I couldn't watch these last three games against the Raptors. I will not miss a game against the Heat. This one is either going 7 or we're getting swept. Game one will tell us a lot.

[ExplosionsInDaSky]

barely watched Miami all year and most of our matchups were covid'd or back to backs so neither team ever played at full health.

Well, you need to watch these games. The anxiety has got to be alleviated at this point. I know it is for me. We beat the Raptors, we didn't make history, we aren't going to be a punchline for the next twenty years. A big time weight was lifted. I personally am going into this series against the Heat with no expectations. Let's give them a good fight, that's all I'm asking for. The focus after that can shift to the offseason. Just enjoy it from here on out.

[Arsenal]

I assume they’ll hunt Maxey. Make Jimmy score 30-40 ppg via midrange. I don’t think it will happen.

Stay home on their shooters and make Jimmy beat us single-handedly.

[Jay555]

I think Harden will have an easier series. Dude always has troubles against long athletic wings and Raptors have a bunch of them.

Thybulle will be useful vs Herro but Danny has earned the starting job.

If Embiid's hand improves, the series is winnbale. Let's go.

76ers in 6.

[youngcrev]

Miami shoots the three ball really well. If they get hot from three, we're gonna get smoked. Gotta stop their role players. Robinson, Tucker, Strus...can't have them killing us from deep. I couldn't watch these last three games against the Raptors. I will not miss a game against the Heat. This one is either going 7 or we're getting swept. Game one will tell us a lot.

Don't forget Gabe Vincent... Aka "who is this bum that's lighting us up right now"

[mjkvol]

For me the Sixers are playing with house money the rest of the way. We beat the Raptors and avoided a huge embarrassment, and this is as far as I expected them to go this year, so it's just relax and enjoy the ride from this point.

I could see this series going the limit with either team winning, honestly. The key is limiting their shooters from going off - I agree with Arsenal, just single up on Butler with Tobias or Thybulle and stay home on all the shooters. And rebound the damn ball.

And Green needs to remain in the starting lineup and play the bulk of the minutes, at least 32 a game. Thybulle must be the only non-shooter anytime he is on the floor. I can see Glenn going back to Jordan here, but Reed has more than earned the backup big role the rest of the playoffs..

[Jailblazers7]

For a second I forgot Matisse Thybulle was on the team lol. He could be a huge swing factor in the series. If he can be net neutral in this series, it’ll be a big bonus for us.

[76ciology]

For a second I forgot Matisse Thybulle was on the team lol. He could be a huge swing factor in the series. If he can be net neutral in this series, it’ll be a big bonus for us.

As much as we all hate him. Our starters with Thybulle is our best 5 man unit this season

[Foshan]

If we play like we did Game 1,2,3,6 (LOL) we can win.

If Harden brings Maxi clubbing with him, we are getting swept.

[Foshan]

Also, win or lose, I'm really hoping to see another series with this kind of Tobias Harris. Dude was locked in. I can live with his contract the next two years if this is how he plays in the playoffs. If he has really 'embraced' this as his role, i think it is really good things for us.

[Jailblazers7]

I do kind of like the matchup. Miami doesn’t have an obvious athletic advantage and we have more playmaking power than them spread across Embiid, Maxey, Harden, and Tobias. Herro is exactly the kind of player that Matisse tends to defend really well.

I think a lot of it will come down to 3s. If Miami is hitting, it extends our defense past it’s breaking point. And if they space out our defense, it’ll make our rebounding problems even worse.

[76ciology]

I’d like to add.

Jimmy Butler is an OVERRATED individual defensive player. But he’s a very good team defensive player though.

So I think Harden can also attack Jimmy

[Braxy]

This isn’t a bad match up for us. They are banged up and Joel seems to have put his thumb injury behind him.

[TheBallsDeeper]

Heat in 6

[Foshan]

I don't know, Miami has a log of DOG mentality players... they will probably out DOG us for sure...

[Dnt hate]

Reposting what I posted before

Heat Defense.

Heat likes to blitz screens, that allows their bigs to step up while giving then some time to rotate on defense that when the pass is made their defense will be in position.

I expect Heat to put Tucker on Harden, Bam on Embiid. This allows them to simple switch it on defense.

Also expect Heat to zone us on defense if Embiid gets hot on offense.

It would be interesting how the refs would call it against Embiid, Embiid is not facing Birch or Achiuwa that Refs maybe less willing to have Heat play Bam on limited minutes due to foul trouble.

Read on Twitter

They switch heavy like the Raps. They’re not as long and athletic but they’re more aggressive and smarter. They switch and rotate like clockwork

Watch on YouTube

Heat negates mismatches by letting their defender front or gamble then let another guy come to help as a means to switch on defense. Another way is to scram switch, which is to switch before the offensive player attack the mismatch (we saw this frequently when Embiid tries to attack GTJ).

Bam and Jimmy likes to help their teammate who’s being hunted on mismatch, by helping it’s their way of switching on defense.

For instance let’s say Harden attacks Herro, expect Jimmy to send help and trap Harden then Herro rotates to Jimmy’s guy.

Heat could also trap then run zone defense as a way to get back in position on defense

Heat Offense

Heat plays Butler with the same role we saw Siakam did. He will attack the middle, and if we send help he will kick it out. The key here is Tobi, who i expect to be Jimmy’s primary defender, to be able to defend him on single coverage.

Read on Twitter

*jimmy averaged 18ppg on 36% FG% in 3 games against the Sixers in reg season

Next best scorer for the heat in the playoffs are 2-3 guys who averaged only 14ppg

Heat will have Bam involve into a lot of dribble handoff with Duncan Robinson and force Embiid to step out and leave our interior defense naked

Down the stretch, I expect Heat will hunt Maxey and have him defend Jimmy.

Heat Rotation

Heat’s starting unit will be just as strong as how Raps started game 3. They’ll play scrappy defense to make up for the talent difference. If we dont turn the ball over, we’d be fine. If we turn the ball over, we’d be down by +10pts.

The killer in the Heat’s rotation is the bench units. With Robinson and Herro giving them a big mismatch on offense compared to ours. But currently their 5 man unit is not giving too much separation against the Hawks, so that is some good news.

Down the stretch expect Bam-Robinson two man game, forcing Embiid to step out then have a lot of Jimmy iso against Tobi or Maxey and Harden iso against Herro battle.

Herro pull up over a Bam screening him with an Embiid not stepping out is also a good offensive action for the heat.

for the sixers

The only edge Heat has over the Raps in their match-up against us is having Bam, instead of Achiuwa on Embiid.

Jimmy’s edge over Siakam’s scoring is Jimmy can drop 40pts if you dont respect him on defense like what the Hawks did in game 2. But overall, I expect Jimmy to have the same level of offensive power over Siakam and get his 20-24ppg average in this series.

Heat is not as lengthy as the Raps. Their length is comparable with ours, making them an easier match-up against other contenders who has a double big or double 7’ at the 4&5 positions like the Celts, Nets and Bucks. That’s probably one of the reason why we preferred (imo) to be at either 1 or 4 spot and be in this bracket than be royal rumbling mode on the other bracket.

Since Heat is not as lengthy as the Raps, its just gonna be a matter of effort in not getting outrebounded. Heat attacking the middle and dropping it to a cutter around the rim, won’t be as tough to defend whereas guys like James and Tobi can challenge the shots of guys like Tucker and Jimmy around the rim.

People expect Harden to struggle this game. I dont think that would be the case because like the Raps series I expect our team to hunt Struss or Herro and force them to switch unto Harden. Whereas the Heat can’t afford not to have Struss or Herro because of their shooting issue.

Lowry and Jimmy have been hurt lately. Harden and/or Maxey needs to hunt for the Herro/Duncan/Strus matchup. Embiid needs to be aggressive inside Miami is pretty small. This is very winnable as long as we put in the effort on defense/hustle and rebounding. Let's go Sixers!