I went to the Sixers vs. Heat game last night in Miami. Before going to the game, I thought my guys (the Sixers) had a chance, but a very slim one. I only thought that because I am extremely bias. Player for player the Heat dominate the Sixers. Just look at the starting line-up comparisons. Jrue vs. Bibby, Meeks vs. Wade, Iggy vs. LeBron, Brand vs. Bosh, Hawes vs. Dampier. I guess you can make a case that Jrue is better than Bibby, now that Bibby is nearing the end of his career and lost a step. You could also make a case for Hawes vs. Dampier, but who really cares about that match-up. Philly may have more depth with Williams, Turner, and Young. But then again Miller, Jones, House, Big Z, and Anthony all play their part well, defending the interior and knocking down 3's. What the game came down to was experience. Not experience together as a team, just experience in the NBA.
The Sixers looked awe-struck by the stars on the Heat. They were playing hard on both ends, but got out of their offense every once in a while to go one on one against players that were much better than them. It reminded me of poker where amateurs play draws against pro's just to try to get lucky and give the pro's a bad beat. Had the Sixers taken better care of the ball, ran their offense the whole game, and only taken good shots I think they could have had a chance. Instead, they were too worried about who to give dap to first after the game was over.
The game was very predictable. Wade, LeBron, and Bosh had 39, 32, and 20 points each, while no one else on the Heat scored more than 6. The Sixers had 6 players with 10 or more points, and Brand chipped in with 8. I could have told you that was going to happen before the game even started. The Heat are top heavy, while the Sixers are balanced. The Sixers spread the wealth like the Celtics, while the Heat have 3 super stars, but also ball hogs who demand the ball and their stats, and a bunch of role players
The Heat had 28 FTs taken to the Sixers 14 and the Heat out rebounded the Sixers 49 to 31. That was the difference in the game, but that's what both teams do all the time and is expected when they play against each other. In Philly, the FT and rebound ratios wound have been a little closer, and the Sixers may steal 2 home games out of 6 in a 7 game series going down 4-2, but they can't beat this Heat team right now. They are too young. They are too inexperienced. Iggy and Brand are the two veterans on the team, but they scored 10 and 8 respectively and were shut down by LeBron and Bosh. The Heat knew that, even though 7 Sixers average 10 or more PPG, if you stop these 2 from getting into a flow, you can beat the Sixers. That's what they did and the rest of the Sixers youth got in the way.
From a coaching perspective, the Sixers offense moved the ball well, Collins called TOs at the right times, Williams hit 2 big 3's with around 32-36 seconds left in the quarter capitalizing on the Sixers 2 for 1 opportunities, and the Heat did what they do. They let the big 3 wear down the less talented Sixers, and they let the 3 point shooters hit down big 3s.
In the playoffs, I'd rather see the Sixers play the Celtics than the Heat. And I would rather see the Heat-Knicks. The Sixers and Celtics play the same style and the Heat and Knicks have similar styles as well. They would be fun series to watch. I'd like to compare the Sixers to the Celtics, but the Sixers are much younger, and not as good or established yet. Let's be honest, the Sixers can't beat the Heat or the Celtics without home court in a 7 game series, but tonight showed that the Heat are just too good for the Sixers, but the Sixers can hang if the better teams have an off night. When Wade and LeBron decided they've had enough (as Shore likes to put it), they turned it on and no one on the Sixers had a chance. Pierce, Allen, Rondo, and Garnett wont be able to do that one on one type of domination. They depend on each other for their success. Ultimately, the Sixers have a better chance against a team of really good players than 3 individual amazing players because the really good players can't impose their will without the others, while the big 3 in Miami took the Sixers one on one and the Sixers couldn't stop it.
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