76ers win big in playoff opener

Philadelphia’s outside shooters outgun Miami

PHILADELPHIA — Philadelphia 76ers coach Brett Brown was braced for what was to follow Saturday night against the Miami Heat at Wells Fargo Center, brawl-like intensity at the start of an opening game in what could turn into a grind of a series. And then he counterpunched. Already without sidelined center Joel Embiid, Brown removed any pretense of playing big in the middle in the second half, pulling fill-in starting center Amir Johnson and inserting the outside shooting of Ersan Ilyasova. A three-for-all broke out from there. Ball game. And a 1-0 lead in this best-of-seven opening-round NBA playoff series, with a 130-103 victory over the Heat that reduced Heat center Hassan Whiteside to second-half spectator.

Shortly before this 76ers return to the postseason, Brown referenced the 1985 Thomas Hearns-Marvin Hagler fight, or, more to the point, that brutal first round in Las Vegas, when HBO announcer Barry Tompkins bellowed amid the carnage, “This is still only the first round!”

That matchup only went This one will go at least four.

Saturday’s game was, as Brown ugly, physical, contentious during half.

But that’s also when the 76ers flipped a switch and flipped the script, now with 17 consecutive victories, after winning their final 16 games to end the regular season.

Suddenly the ball was moving for the 76ers, the shots were dropping from distance, the Heat were left scrambling, unable to match the energy, pace, crowd-inspired fervor.

It ended with 76ers sharpshooters J.J. Redick, Marco Belinelli and Ersan Ilyasova three rounds.

forecast, the first