Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
EIGHT IS (ALMOST) ENOUGH
Depleted Heat rattle 76ers, Embiid before falling 137-134 in OT
The night began with a concern about who wasn’t there for the Miami Heat.
It nearly ended with a celebration for those who took the court.
With eight players forced back to South Florida a day earlier because of pandemic protocols — a group that included Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo and Goran Dragic — the Heat moved ahead with an eightplayer roster ... to almost stun the Philadelphia 76ers before falling, 137-134, Tuesday night in overtime at Wells Fargo Center.
“We felt like we were playing for the entire team,” rookie big man Precious Achiuwa said.
With Tyler Herro scoring a careerhigh 34 points, the Heat nearly were able to push back against the 45 points from 76ers center Joel Embiid, who also had 16 rebounds. But, in the end, not enough.
“It’s a shame,” coach Erik Spoelstra said, “because our guys did more than enough to put ourselves in a position to win.”
With the heart of their roster out due to COVID-19 protocols, the Heat got the best of Herro, Duncan Robinson and Gabe Vincent, as well as a solid contribution from Achiuwa before coming up short.
“It wasn’t a matter of lack of want or lack of effort,” Spoelstra said. “Our guys emptied it all out there.”
Still, the team’s first winning streak of the season again was put on hold, with Embiid powering the 76ers and 76ers guard Danny Green adding 29 points, including nine 3-pointers.
For the Heat there were 26 points from Robinson, 24 from Vincent, as well as a 17-point, 13-rebound double-double by Achiuwa.
Five Degrees of Heat from Tuesday’s game:
1. Closing time: Down 12 earlier in the fourth quarter, the Heat moved to a 119-115, lead with 45.2 to play in regulation on a pair of Herro free throws.
But a 3-pointer by 76ers rookie forward Isaiah Joe with 22.7 seconds left in regulation and then an Embiid jumper with 3.3 seconds left in the fourth tied it, with regulation ending at, 120-120, on a missed Kelly Olynyk 3-pointer.
Embiid then seized the 76ers’ offense early in overtime, scoring the 76ers’ first nine points of the extra period.
But that’s when Herro stepped up with a four-point play with 65 seconds left, for a 130-129 Heat lead.
From there, Dakota Mathias converted a 3-pointer with 26 seconds left, his first score of the game, for a 134-132 Philadelphia lead.
Herro then missed a 3-pointer with 13.1 seconds left, with a pair of Embiid free throws following, for a four-point 76ers lead.
“It’s just a matter of getting over this hurdle of really finishing plays,” Spoelstra said, as his team fell to 4-5.
2. Almost out, too: Herro explained after the game how close he came to being back in South Florida on Tuesday night.
“Yeah,” he said with a laugh. “The last 48 hours have been crazy. I was on the bus to go back to Miami [Monday] and then they, at the last second, told me I was actually clear and able to stay here with the team.
“So I was packed and ready to go back to Miami. And last second, they told me I could stay.”
It is an example of how complex the NBA’s contract tracing can be.
Had Herro not been available, Tuesday’s game might not have been played, with at least eight players required in uniform.
3. Gabe who?: In his second season on a Heat two-way contract, Vincent eclipsed his previous NBA career high of nine points with 12 points in the second quarter, alone.
He closed 9 of 20 from the field and 4 of 12 on 3-pointers.
“Not happy about the circumstances,” he said. “But I just tried to take advantage of it.”
Included in Vincent’s effort was an attack bent from the 3-point specialist. It is that type of play that had the Heat opting for Vincent over Mychal Mulder when the front office had the choice last season of the G League guards.
Vincent had struggled with knee pain last season and then the recovery from a knee procedure earlier this season.
“Gabe was terrific all game through, running the point for us,” Spoelstra said.
4. Do it again:
Robinson twice converted four-point plays as part of his season-high scoring effort.
He opened the Heat scoring with a 3-pointer 2:11 into the game, was fouled on the shot by Ben Simmons, then went to the line to convert the ensuing free throw.
Then, with 8:39 left in the third period, Robinson again was fouled by Simmons on a successful 3-pointer, Simmons’ fourth foul. Robinson converted that foul shot, as well.
Robinson also is the last Heat player with multiple four-point plays in a game, having done it in the quarantine Disney World bubble on Aug. 12 last season, with two against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
“It’s hurts to let it slip away like that,” he said of the loss.
5. Exclusive club: By the midpoint of the opening period all eight available Heat players had seen action.
The Heat’s starting lineup was Olynyk, Achiuwa, Robinson, Herro and Vincent.
They were followed by Max Strus, Andre Iguodala and Chris Silva.
Every available player went between 16:41 (Silva) and 45:44 (Robinson).
The Heat might have one more body for Thursday’s rematch on the 76ers’ court, depending on Meyers Leonard’s strained left shoulder, an injury sustained in Saturday’s victory over the Washington Wizards at the start of this trip.
“I don’t think I could accurately make a guess on that right now,” Spoelstra said. “We’ll just continue to evaluate him day to day.”