The tension was high in this clash and the Heat took several minutes to get into their game. The Floridians are tense and clumsiness, in shooting and in the game, dominates. With a few award-winning shots, Nicolas Batum's Sixers got off to a better start. Jimmy Butler, with two interceptions and two dunks, reassures his team. The zone defense also has its effect, with a Philadelphia team a little lost, which loses a lot of balls. Result, despite a failed start, the Heat are in front at the end of the first quarter (22-23).
And the difficulties continue for the Sixers in the second quarter. From near and far, Nick Nurse's troops cannot find the target and give up possessions in the face of the activity of the Miami defense. With a 9-0, Butler and his gang are giving themselves some breathing space. A few moments later, Delon Wright, Tyler Herro and Caleb Martin hit 3-pointers, and it was a new 9-0. Clearly, at the break, the match is in the hands of Erik Spoelstra and his players (39-51).
Joel Embiid wakes up in the last quarter
Returning from the locker room, the Sixers managed to wake up the room with a 9-0 and come back to the score. Nicolas Batum is part of this good sequence, with his 3-point shots. It's up to the Heat to have difficulty scoring. Without Kevin Love and Jaime Jaquez Jr. at 3-pointers in the last minute, Miami would undoubtedly not have maintained its lead until the start of the last quarter (69-74).
Lead which was lost in the first seconds of the fourth quarter. Joel Embiid scores at 3-points, and “Batman” too, several times. The Frenchman, also present on the offensive rebound, hurts the Sixers. But Miami came to its senses and went 7-0, with Tyler Herro precious. It's him again who responds to Embiid, always behind the arc. The pivot of the Sixers weighs all his weight in this last act and Philadelphia will hold, by making the necessary free throws, to resist the last shots of Herro and Jaime Jaquez Jr. Victory and qualification for the Sixers, 105-104, who will find the Knicks in the playoffs.
WHAT YOU MUST REMEMBER
– Nicolas Batum, unlikely hero. 20 points at 6/10 at 3-pts, 5 rebounds and a decisive impact on the match for the French winger. Who would've believed that ? Few people, and even fewer after its very ordinary first half. But after the break, he will find 3-point spaces and the shots will fall into them. Batum will not limit himself to long shots, he will also score an important tap, on a miss from Kyle Lowry, then countered a shot from Tyler Herro at 3-points, 30 seconds from the end. He was the spark in the third quarter and it's hard to imagine the Sixers pulling out the victory without him.
– The Heat was not far from succeeding. Jimmy Butler and his gang will have regrets. After missing the start of the match, surely tense by the stakes, they had an almost perfect first period. The zone defense was formidable in blocking the Sixers, Joel Embiid did not exist and Nick Nurse did not have the solutions. The Heat will hold on despite the 2023 MVP's eleven points in the fourth quarter, notably with Tyler Herro who will secure the points. But his return to the zone and his attempt blocked by Batum in the final moments will prevent Miami from achieving the feat. There is one last chance against Chicago, like last year…
– Butler’s knee. The Heat leader is reportedly suffering from a serious knee injury. We are talking about a rupture of a cruciate ligament. This would obviously be terrible news for the player and his training.
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How to read the stats? Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; O = offensive rebound; D=defensive rebound; T = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; +/- = Point differential when the player is on the field; Pts = Points; Eval: player evaluation calculated from positive actions – negative actions.
