NBA Playoffs 2018: 5 keys to Philadelphia 76ers vs. Miami Heat matchup

3. Can the Sixers rein in their turnovers?

If you thought Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors were careless with the ball, just wait until you see the Sixers.

Philadelphia led the NBA this season both in turnovers per game (16.5) and turnover percentage (16.1 percent), blowing its next-closest competition out of the water in each category. Embiid was the chief culprit, averaging 3.7 giveaways per game, but Simmons wasn’t far behind him with 3.4. That put both players among the top 10 leaguewide in terms of coughups.

Since the All-Star break, the Sixers have been slightly more careful, but they still ranked 22nd in turnovers per game (14.6) and were tied for 18th in turnover percentage (14.2 percent) over that span. If Miami limits the Sixers’ potent transition attack and makes them operate more frequently in half-court sets, a cascade of giveaways could be devastating to Philadelphia’s chances of staving off the underdog.

Outside of Josh Richardson, the Heat lack the type of dominant ballhawks who can muck up the Sixers’ offensive flow, but James Johnson, Goran Dragic, Tyler Johnson and Justise Winslow each finished with at least 50 steals this season. While opponents only averaged 14.1 turnovers per game against Miami, Spoelstra will assuredly make that a point of focus for his squad heading into the series.

Youth-laden teams often make dumb, careless mistakes, and Philly’s rotation only features four players who aren’t currently on their rookie contracts (J.J. Redick, Amir Johnson, Ersan Ilyasova and Marco Belinelli). The Sixers are bound to struggle with ball control at some point this series, so how they respond will go a long way toward determining who advances to the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

Next: 2. How will the Heat defend Simmons?