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The Philadelphia 76ers are set to take on the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Miami managed to defeat the Atlanta Hawks in five games in the first round. Meanwhile, it took Philadelphia six games to close out the Toronto Raptors.
Unfortunately, the Sixers suffered a brutal blow to their starting lineup in just the final minutes of the first-round series. Joel Embiid is out indefinitely with a concussion and orbital fracture. This hurts the Sixers' chances of winning the series tremendously, especially if he is out for an extended period.
However, Philadelphia has what it takes to hold it together until his return. Here are the three main reasons why the Sixers will defy the odds and come out of the Eastern Conference Semifinals victorious.
3 Reasons the Sixers Beat the Heat in Eastern Conference Semifinals
3. Stakes are high, stars are ready
The stakes for the Sixers' playoff run are extremely high, and nobody is more aware of this than the team itself. And, the starting five already started to show this in the first round.
James Harden stepped up his offensive productivity by putting up more points, while still contributing the most assists on the roster. Meanwhile, Tobias Harris has proved to be a threat both offensively and defensively this postseason.
Danny Green brings the calm charisma of a seasoned playoff veteran and performs extremely well under pressure. Meanwhile, Tyrese Maxey has the energy and youth to keep the Sixers' pace and momentum. While they're bringing this fire because they want to win, the team knows that this is likely one of Embiid's last prime years. The Process is running out of chances to win the NBA championship, and the Sixers are prepared to hold things down until he returns.
2. Numbers don't lie
The Sixers and Heat met four times in the regular season, splitting the wins 2-2. However, a lot of factors play into this.
Philadelphia is a much different team than it was back in December and January when the first two games took place. The Sixers acquired James Harden while releasing the emotional and financial burden of Ben Simmons.
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That being said, the teams' final two regular-season games are the best representations of their upcoming series matchup. In the March games, the Heat took the first one 99-82 and the Sixers took the final one 113-106.
The 113-106 game is crucial because it proved that the Sixers have the star power to beat Miami with Embiid and Harden. They are going to have to play at least two games without Embiid, but Harden is healthier than ever. If Tyrese Maxey has another stellar run against the Heat and Harden stays aggressive, at least one of the first two games will be in favor of Philadelphia.
1. Heat can't beat a masked Embiid
This final reason is solely based on the assumption that Joel Embiid plays in any capacity of the series. According to ESPN's Ramona Shelburne, there is still a chance. She tweeted the news Friday night.
Embiid will be evaluated again next week, but at a minimum he must be out 5 days with the concussion, sources said.
There is no timetable for this injury yet but sources said “the door isn’t closed.”
— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) April 30, 2022
If Embiid does suit up, the Heat are in some serious trouble.
Four years ago, Embiid suffered the same face injury before the Sixers took on the Heat in the first round. The center had surgery to repair his orbital fracture and suited up for Game 3 of the series.
With a protective mask on his face, Embiid led Philadelphia to three straight wins to finish the Heat's postseason run. If he passes concussion protocol, expect masked Embiid to make an appearance in the series, and expect him to be fired up. He's undoubtedly upset about the situation. This anger, on top of his natural desire to win, will cause big problems for the Heat.
