EMBIID GIVES SIXERS A LIFT INTO CLASH WITH KNICKS
PHILADELPHIA—Joel Embiid collected 23 points and had 15 rebounds, and Nicolas Batum drained six three-pointers to lift the 76ers to a 105-104 victory over the Miami Heat in an NBA play-in game on Wednesday.
Batum finished with 20 points on 7-of-12 shooting from the floor, and Tyrese Maxey added 19 points. Kelly Oubre Jr. recorded 11 points and eight rebounds, and Tobias Harris added nine points and 10 boards.
“We needed somebody to hit some shots in the zone,” Maxey said. “[Batum] hit some big shots. Buddy Hield hit a big shot. Cam Payne hit a big shot. Paul Reed played really well. Everybody who played out there [left their] imprint on the game.”
‘They’re for real’
The seventh-seeded 76ers outscored Miami, 66-53, in the second half to set up an Eastern Conference first-round playoff series against the second-seeded New York Knicks. Game 1 of the best-of-seven matchup is Saturday in New York.
“I think they’re for real,” 76ers coach Nick Nurse said of the Knicks. “I think they’re really good. They’ve earned that seed. We’ll have our work to do ... It’s going to be a physical series for sure.”
Miami’s Tyler Herro had 25 points and nine assists, and Jimmy Butler had 19 points, five assists and five steals.
Rookie Jaime Jaquez Jr. scored 15 points off the bench for the Heat, who will look to capture the eighth seed on Friday when they host the Bulls. Chicago won the late Wednesday game, 131-116, over the Atlanta Hawks.
“We’re going to bring a helluva game on Friday night ... and we will do this the hard way,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said.