The Philadelphia 76ers (40-21) got another crack at the Miami Heat (33-30) but this time took them on in Miami and without Joel Embiid, who missed the game due to left foot soreness. The Sixers put the Ewing theory to the test once again with a huge win, 119-96.

Let's break down the Sixers' win over the Heat.

Sixers player notes:

James Harden: 23 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, 6-15 FG shooting

Harden took a quarter to get really going in this one. His scoring helped a mostly bench lineup go up by double digits in the second quarter and he also rebounded quite well, collecting some offensive boards and contested ones on the other end. His shooting from deep and from the foul line powered his scoring in this one.

Tyrese Maxey: 27 points, 4 rebounds, 7 assists, 10-17 FG shooting

Back in the starting lineup (though not in the conditions many had hoped for), Maxey got going in a hurry. He played freely and aggressively, just as Embiid had hoped he would start doing. The scoring spark he brought helped Philly overcome the loss of Embiid for this game, his speed made him a natural target in the fast break and he also led the game in assists. Great game for the youngster, who now brings some momentum into a homecoming game tomorrow night.

Tobias Harris: 18 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 7-11 FG shooting

The Sixers needed a lot out of Harris with Embiid out. He had the perfect chance to start to climb out of a cold stretch and did just that. Defensively, he more than held his own and made some great plays (like a block on Adebayo and a forced turnover on Butler) while taking and making good shots.

Paul Reed: 16 points, 14 rebounds, 0 assists, 2 blocks, 7-10 FG shooting

Single-game plus/minus doesn't always tell the story of a player's game. For Reed, who was a +26, it definitely did. Although the five-out look led to some great offense, Reed's physicality near the bucket made him indispensable for the Sixers. He helped correct the course as Miami threatened to make the game close in the third quarter, set a new career high in rebounds in one game and finished lots of tough looks.

Heat player notes:

Jimmy Butler: 16 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 6-8 FG shooting

Butler, just as he did on Monday, came out aggressive on both ends of the floor and got started with a pair of old-fashioned three-point plays. He wasn't able to put his imprint on the game in the rest of the first half and didn't look to score as much as the Heat needed him to. Several of his teammates shot more than him despite his ability to score and he didn't make up for it by being a playmaking machine.

Bam Adebayo: 20 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, 8-12 FG shooting

Adebayo left his frigid shooting back in Philadelphia, scoring with great efficiency in the paint and showing a nice-looking jumper. But he left a lot to be desired defensively, as multiple Sixers found ways to score on him.

Game notes:

1st half

Related Philadelphia 76ers NewsArticle continues below
Baylor Bears guard VJ Edgecombe (7) passes the ball away from Mississippi State Bulldogs forward Cameron Matthews (4) during the second half in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at Lenovo Center.
Ranking 3 best VJ Edgecombe destinations in 2025 NBA Draft
Philadelphia 76ers guard Jared McCain (20) holds his head next to Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) after a hard fall during the third quarter.
Jared McCain’s insane reaction to Haliburton’s shot to force OT

It was clear that the Sixers needed to change some stuff up after their disappointing loss to the Heat on Monday. Ultimately, they were forced to do so out of necessity with Embiid sitting out. P.J. Tucker occupied the starting center spot in his place. He guarded Adebayo while Harris matched up with Butler.

Maxey got going early on with a pair of triples while Harris and Harden helped out with some tough layups, shaking off the tough defense from Adebayo to score. Danuel House Jr. was one of Doc Rivers' first subs of the night amid Georges Niang's struggles. He defended Butler pretty well on a few possessions, scored a layup in traffic and drew a shooting foul. Both offenses got off to very hot starts, shooting over 60 percent through the first quarter. No defense at the point of attack, just vibes (and many, many buckets).

The Sixers trailed for most of the first quarter and took the lead in the second but the game remained close. The benches got in on the hot scoring as Shake Milton and Max Strus hit some shots for their teams. Harden got going in the scoring department in the second quarter. His work and some defense-to-offense sequences started by takeaways from Jalen McDaniels and De'Anthony Melton helped Philly go on a 12-0 run.

The Heat's offense entered a drought, going without a field goal for over four minutes. The Sixers effectively switched everything on defense and rebounded well (thanks largely to Paul Reed's energy on the glass), forbidding them from easy opportunities to snatch points here and there. In one heads-up play on a loose ball, Reed tapped the ball with his foot to keep Butler from picking it up and going in for an uncontested layup.

Miami eventually broke its seal on the hoop but the Sixers were still moving and grooving. They swung the ball around with gusto, got out in the fast break and hit shot after shot. They made 11 of their 21 downtown attempts and went up 71-53 at the half.

2nd half

Harden set up Tucker and Harris for easy buckets as the Sixers kept their foot on the gas by running in transition. Harris did a very nice job staying in front of Butler and Miami's offense couldn't keep up despite some scores from Herro and Adebayo. Philly simply found itself in a wonderful harmony on both sides of the floor but it didn't last forever.

The Heat began a big run with three consecutive close shots, punishing the Sixers' switches to get easier looks. They started showing more extra bodies on the perimeter with some quick blitzes, and it helped slow down Philly's offense. A jumper from House snapped a 10-0 Miami run and the size from Reed took away Miami's size advantage.

Some highlight-reel buckets from Maxey (an acrobatic layup where he barely got the ball onto the rim and a step-back triple) kicked the Sixers into gear again. They went up by as much as 25 points in the fourth quarter. Butler didn't play a minute in the final frame as Philly kicked its feet up and cruised the homestretch. Milton and Maxey provided some fireworks with long threes.

Random thoughts:

  • Alaa Abdelnaby mentioned Love's physical transformation from his days at UCLA on the broadcast. It is indeed jarring how different he looks since those days and it makes it extra cool that he has gone back to wearing number 42.
  • This fan belongs on the jumbotron at Wells Fargo Center during the fourth quarter “Just Wanna Rock” cam.

The Sixers are back in action tomorrow night as they face the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center.