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The Philadelphia 76ers are red hot entering the 2024 NBA Play-In Tournament. Despite being the seventh seed in the conference, they have won eight straight games, which is a legitimate concern for any opponent. A unit led by Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey has the momentum heading into the most important juncture of the season, so the 76ers fanbase is ecstatic heading into their match against the Miami Heat.
Even if Embiid is far from 100 percent after a meniscus procedure, his return has been integral to the ascension of Philadelphia. His mere presence in the Play-In Tournament and even in the NBA Playoffs will be vital to their success. Since it is only a one-game scenario against the Heat, the 76ers will likely want to slow the pace and continue feeding Embiid the ball in the post rather than pushing the pace.
This will not only be on the offensive end, but on defense, as it will be advantageous if the majority of plays are set in the half-court because of Embiid’s rim protection. There are a plethora of factors that lean Philadelphia’s direction, but there is one fatal flow that may doom them in this crucial battle.
The 76ers inability to control rebounding
The most obvious issue for the 76ers that could occur against the Heat is if Embiid or even Maxey is unable to finish the 48 minutes on the court. Removing that from the equation, Philadelphia must continuously grab the 50-50 balls and constantly put a body on the Miami guys because these individuals are known to be rough and rugged, especially in high-stakes games.
The Heat are known to get their inspiration and motivation from hustle plays and multiple defensive stops, so if the 76ers are able to win that battle, then it will be a huge edge for them. It is not just in the mental battle wherein the 76ers can lose due to the discrepancy in rebounding numbers, but it will also limit the Heat’s ability to create easy transition buckets on the other end.
Over the past 10 games, Philadelphia has been one of the best outside shooting teams, and the main reason for that is their ability to control the boards. If the Heat are able to have an edge in rebounding with guys like Terry Rozier, Tyler Herro, and Bam Adebayo they can create easy baskets before Embiid’s feet are set on the paint.
Miami is not a squad that is known for their three-point shooting this season, so if they are given fewer opportunities to capitalize on their missed shots, then Philadelphia will have another aspect tilt in their favor. Embiid will corral 12-15 boards in this outing, but others like Kelly Oubre Jr., Tobias Harris, and Nicolas Batum will need to snatch a myriad of missed shots as well.
The 76ers are used to playing four small men along Embiid, so their guys must crash the boards on every possession. By winning the rebounding stat, Philadelphia will be able to dictate the pace as well, which will be integral to victory.
Since Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra will likely experiment with schemes to catch the 76ers off guard, focusing on the rebounding category may cover up possibly a high turnover clip or subpar outside shooting efficiency. The 76ers will have the confidence boost against the Heat, so they must start strong and not let their opponents gain any sort of momentum.
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