The Philadelphia 76ers have a lot of work to do in Game 2. They stomached a rough loss Monday night in the first game of their Eastern Conference Semifinals series against the Miami Heat.
Of course, a huge part of the loss can be attributed to the absence of Joel Embiid. The star center suffered a right orbital fracture and mild concussion in the final minutes of the Sixers' first-round series against the Toronto Raptors.
Game 2 is arguably a must-win for the Sixers if they expect to sneak out of the Eastern Conference Semifinals victorious. If they go 0-2 to start the series, that would be a big hole to climb out of. The starting five, specifically James Harden and Tyrese Maxey, need to step it up in Game 2.
Here are our three boldest predictions for the Wednesday night matchup in Miami.
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Sixers 3 Bold Predictions for Game 2 vs. Heat
3. Paul Reed gets more time
Doc Rivers already said that DeAndre Jordan will continue to start “whether you like it or not.” So, don't expect any other centers to be starting Game 2. However, you can expect Paul Reed to get noticeably more minutes than he did in Game 1.
Reed recorded only 13 minutes Monday night. However, he was still productive, putting up nine rebounds, four points, and four assists in a short amount of time. Meanwhile, Jordan was -22 in 17 minutes of play and only recorded four points and two rebounds. Rivers is going to stick his ground and keep Jordan as the starting center, but he knows that increased minutes for Reed is best for the team.
2. Danny Green hits his threes
Typically, the Sixers can rely on Danny Green to hit his three-pointers. However, that wasn't the case Monday night. Green was just 1 for 5 from deep and only added five points to Philadelphia's score. Meanwhile, he put up four threes in the Sixers' last two first-round games against Toronto.
Not to mention, Green is a seasoned NBA playoff veteran. He's played in over 150 playoff games and won three NBA championships throughout 12 seasons. In other words, the small forward is accustomed to the pressure of the playoffs. Expect to see him step it up in Game 2 and drain at least three three-pointers.
1. The return of Tyrese Maximus
Tyrese Maxey didn't have a horrible Game 1, but it definitely wasn't his best outing. The 21-year-old recorded 19 points and two assists while also giving up two turnovers. However, expect him to turn things around for Game 2.
Back in March, the Sixers took on the Heat without James Harden and Joel Embiid. However, led by Maxey and Tobias Harris, the team took home a win. Maxey put up 28 points, five rebounds, four assists, and three three-pointers to seal the win. Expect to see this version of the young point guard Wednesday night in Miami.
Finally, our boldest prediction yet: the Sixers pull off the win 114-111.
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