3 observations after Sixers lose a 19-point lead to Heat, suffer a dismal defeat originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
The late news that Joel Embiid was available didn’t shake the Sixers back to winning ways.
The team instead suffered a heartbreaking defeat on Monday night, blowing a 19-point lead in the second quarter and falling to a 106-89 loss to the Heat.
The Sixers now sit at 2-11, the Heat at 6-7.
Listed as questionable with an illness for much of Monday, Embiid was officially upgraded to available about 30 minutes before tipoff. He posted 11 points on 5-for-11 shooting, eight rebounds and five assists.
Jared McCain was the Sixers’ top scorer with 20 points, reaching that number for a fifth consecutive game. Paul George had 18 points on 5-for-13 shooting, six rebounds, five assists and three steals.
Miami got a 30-point, 10-rebound performance from Jimmy Butler. Tyler Herro added 18 points, including 16 in the third quarter.
Tyrese Maxey (right hamstring strain) missed his sixth consecutive game with a right hamstring strain. Jaime Jaquez Jr. of the Heat (right ankle sprain) and Terry Rozier (right foot discomfort) were sidelined.
The Sixers will finish their three-game road trip Wednesday night against the Grizzlies. Here are observations about their loss in Miami:
McCain, George raises Sixers to a considerable lead
George scored the first five points of the Sixers, the first four of Butler the Heat. In his return from a sprained right ankle, Butler was physical and strong early. His and-one layup on former teammate Caleb Martin gave Miami a 20-15 edge.
The Sixers leaned on George for almost the entire first quarter. He scored a dozen points in the first, played active defense and sparked the start of an Embiid-less spurt late in the quarter.
After a slow start that included some turnovers, McCain also thrived late in the first. He nailed two three-pointers, threw a quick assist up front to Andre Drummond and seemed to make a positive play every few seconds.
Early in the second quarter, McCain showed off his inside-arc craft. He slid to the rim for a slick layup, drilled a mid-range jumper and spun around fellow rookie Pelle Larsson before tipping in a layup that extended the Sixers’ lead to 46-27.
While he made occasional mistakes against a tight, hands-on defense, McCain did a great job overall of quickly recognizing how opponents are guarding him and countering it effectively. He certainly had the moves and the feel for the game to match his immense confidence.
Sixers rely on jumpers, do very little at the foul line
Especially with the Sixers’ only two wins this season coming in overtime, a Miami run right back seemed inevitable.
With a spark from bench guards Alec Burks and Dru Smith, that’s exactly what happened. Butler drove a baseline past Eric Gordon and assisted on a Smith layup that cut the Heat’s deficit to 48-38.
Miami also scored the rest of the second quarter. Before halftime, the Sixers led by just three points.
Although the Sixers missed some high-quality looks, they settled for too many jumpers against Miami’s zone defense. In the first half, the Sixers attempted 25 three-point shots and only three free throws. For a team that is 29th in the NBA in three-point percentagethe Sixers had a ton of jumper-dependent stretches.
Embiid had zero free throw attempts in a game for just the second time in his NBA career. The one previous occasion was on February 9, 2018 against the Pelicans. George was the only Sixers starter to take a free throw all night.
Butler, on the other hand, was determined to draw fouls and keep the Sixers on their heels. He went 9 for 9 at the foul line in the first half.
Another terrible one third quarter
While the Sixers’ bench has played well during the team’s big run, head coach Nick Nurse’s personnel decisions invite scrutiny.
The hardest pick to figure out was Guerschon Yabusele getting no playing time until late in the third quarter. Riding a lineup that gels makes sense, but Yabusele — a worthy rotation regular thus far — went under with the Sixers facing a double-digit deficit in the second half. There are certainly factors that could support Yabusele playing less than usual on Monday, including Drummond having a solid night at center, but zero action for so long seemed extreme.
Aside from McCain, the Sixers’ guards provided minimal offense. Kyle Lowry, Eric Gordon and Jeff Dowtin Jr. combined for seven points on 3-for-14 shooting. Lowry cooled off dramatically after a hot start. Since Nov. 6, he has shot 2 for 23 (8.7 percent) from three-point range.
The game spiraled out of control for the Sixers in the third quarter. Gordon fouled Herro on a three-pointer late in the shot clock and Dowtin then turned the ball over, leading to a driving Herro layup on the other end.
The Sixers ended up losing the third quarter by 19 points. Going into the game, they had a chasm minus-15.0 net rating in second quarters and a minus-14.2 net rating in third quarters. They have struggled to sustain success, stop opponents’ runs or do nearly anything else at an adequate level during the middle portion of games.
There were no indications that the Sixers would rally back in the fourth quarter. The game was a lost cause and legitimate silver linings were not readily apparent. That story has become quite well known.
In Nurse’s first season with the Sixers, they did not lose their 11th game until January 5th. This year began in much more somber fashion.
