The 76ers and Heat are a study in contrasts
By Ben Ladner
The prolonged uncertainty of the Eastern Conference playoff picture kept in play the possibility that the 76ers could face any of three opponents in the first round of the playoffs, each of whom would pose a distinct challenge to the East’s upstart group of youngsters. Among them, the grinding, relentless drudgery of facing Miami might be the most fascinating test.
Philadelphia, buoyed almost entirely by two generational talents, seeks to push the tempo and play through its stars. These teams fall on opposite ends of the spectrum in pace. The Heat, lacking anything close to a superstar, aim to so disrupt their opponent’s flow that routine tasks become work. Get a team off-rhythm by mucking up its sets and demanding multiple defensive efforts, and that team’s habits — regular offensive sets and defensive schemes — get a little less cozy, and a little less operational.
That will begin at the point of attack, with whoever defends Ben Simmons. James Johnson, Justise Winslow and Josh Richardson will presumably take turns on the job. Whatever the matchup, the Heat will go way under every ball screen, at least until Simmons finds a reliable counter. Teams ducked under against Simmons, who does not even consider the possibility of launching from more than 10 feet from the basket, to varying degrees in the regular season. It will become more drastic.
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It then becomes imperative that Philly keep maximum shooting on the floor at all times. With a spaced floor, Simmons will use that extra space a defense gives him to ramp up and blow by his defender. A non-shooter on Simmons’ side of the floor invites help defenders and brings rampaging drives to a sudden halt:
Few humans have the capability to stop those rollicking full-court bursts, and those that do rarely have the courage to interfere:
Miami knows this is coming, and will make a concerted effort to stop it. The Heat generally sacrifice offensive rebounding for transition defense, as most teams do, and will be particularly vigilant about getting back with Simmons seeking to destroy rims.
Miami has a chance to make good on a potentially significant turnover margin. Neither team forces giveaways at a particularly high volume, and the 76ers cough the ball up more frequently than any other team, a product of having young and ambitious offensive linchpins. Those extra opportunities – or lack thereof – will add up. That, along with the timing of Joel Embiid’s return, could be the wild card that allows the Heat to compensate for a lack of offensive firepower. Philadelphia touts the most dominant starting lineup in the NBA, with Embiid serving as its anchor and failsafe. Every minute that group isn’t available is a winnable one for opponents.
When Embiid comes back, Miami must find ways to mitigate his defensive impact. Perhaps that involves playing Kelly Olynyk in place of Hassan Whiteside for longer stretches in order to pull Embiid away from the basket. But that strategy could have major repercussions on the other end of the floor, where Embiid is an uncontainable force inside. The Heat have a slew of options at every position, and their starters are not so undeniable as to mandate a major squeezing of the rotation. Who Erik Spoelstra closes games with will be fascinating, and likely not consistent.
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Miami relies on continuity to score, and even then, offense can be a challenge. The Heat rank 22nd in offensive efficiency and don’t have a fail-proof individual creator. Olynyk, a delightful shooting and playmaking big, and Wayne Ellington, a marksman who never stops moving, feel acutely vital to the Heat’s ability to manufacture quality looks. Those two have a wonderful chemistry in second units, and each one’s strengths complement the other’s. Ellington’s game requires constant attention be paid to it, which in turn unlocks corridors for his teammates. Olynyk, an elite practitioner of the fake handoff, knows this, and shrewdly leverages it against defenses:
If Miami can steal points like that and get an explosive game or two from an unlikely source, they’ll have a chance. Dwyane Wade’s microwave offense will be useful in moderation.
These two teams split the season series, 2-2, every game within a single-digit margin. The 76ers enter the playoffs on a scorching win streak – including a massacre of the Bucks on the last night of the season. They are bound to regress, if only slightly, from that stratosphere. How they respond to that regression when it hits will be telling, and a challenge unto itself. Against the Heat, it won’t be an easy one.