Tyrese Maxey scored 30 points and had 10 assists, while Kelly Oubre Jr. scored 22 points and grabbed 11 rebounds to help the Philadelphia 76ers defeat the Miami Heat 98-91 on Monday night. This game may be a preview of an NBA play-in tournament game.
In his first game against the Heat since being traded in January, Kyle Lowry scored 16 points for the Sixers despite a hard fall over the scorer's table.
Bam Adebayo scored 20 points and had 13 rebounds for the Heat, and Terry Rozier III contributed 20 points.
The Heat were down by 14 points at the start of the fourth quarter, but managed to tie the game at 85 with a strong 20-8 run. However, the Sixers took the lead again with a 3-pointer from Buddy Hield and another from Kyle Lowry, securing a crucial win.
The Miami Heat, last year's Eastern Conference champions, are currently in play-in mode with 14 games left in the season, slipping to eighth in the standings. The 76ers are in seventh place at 38-30, while the Heat are 37-31. Both teams have faced challenges, especially after the injury of Joel Embiid in January.
Both Jimmy Butler and Joel Embiid missed the game due to injuries, along with Tobias Harris and Duncan Robinson. This left both teams without their star players, except for Maxey.
Sixers coach Nick Nurse expressed optimism that Embiid could return before the end of the season, hoping for his full recovery by playoff or play-in time.
Nurse believes that Embiid will regain his form and rhythm quickly, emphasizing the importance of having him for as many games as possible. He also stressed the goal of having a healthy team for the playoffs or play-in tournament.
Both the Heat and the Sixers are aiming to have their starters fully recovered by the end of the season, as they may face each other again in the play-in tournament. The format is such that the No. 7 seed plays No. 8, with the winner securing the No. 7 seed for the playoffs and the loser getting a second chance.
Nurse expressed determination to finish as high as possible in the standings but acknowledged the willingness to compete in the play-in or playoffs despite the uncertain outcome.
Due to injuries, the Heat have utilized a record 32 starting lineups in an effort to find consistency and avoid a potential second consecutive play-in scenario.
Heat coach Erik Spoelstra emphasized the team's focus on the present and not on past narratives or achievements, fully concentrating on their current objectives.
In Embiid's absence, Tyrese Maxey played a key role for the Sixers, scoring 18 points in the first half and contributing to their second consecutive win following a difficult period with seven losses in 10 games. The Sixers are aware of the imminent play-in tournament without Embiid.
CELTICS 119, PISTONS 94
In Boston, Jaylen Brown scored 31 points in three quarters, Derrick White achieved his first ever triple-double, and the Boston Celtics, who are leading in the NBA, defeated the Detroit Pistons.
Despite Boston star Jayson Tatum missing the game due to a right ankle injury, the Celtics were able to compensate for the absence of their top scorer (27.1 points per game) and rebounder (8.3).
White scored 22 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and made 10 assists. He completed his triple-double when he passed to Payton Pritchard, who made a 3-pointer with 6:25 remaining in the game.
Pritchard scored 23 points in the Celtics' sixth consecutive win.
Boston forward Kristaps Porzingis returned after missing five games due to a strained right hamstring. He contributed 20 points and eight rebounds in 22 minutes.
Jaden Ivey was the top scorer for Detroit with 21 points. Cade Cunningham, who typically scores the most for the team with an average of 22.2 points per game, sat out due to managing a left knee injury.
BULLS 110, TRAIL BLAZERS 107
In Chicago, DeMar DeRozan scored 28 points, and Nikola Vucevic made a crucial hook shot with 9.3 seconds left, aiding Chicago in narrowly defeating Portland.
Vucevic contributed 22 points and nine rebounds in Chicago's third win in four games. Ayo Dosunmu ended the game with 23 points and 10 assists.
Anfernee Simons scored 12 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter for Portland, but he missed a 3-pointer from the top of the key as time expired. Deandre Ayton accumulated 25 points and 15 rebounds in his sixth consecutive game with at least 20 points.
TIMBERWOLVES 114, JAZZ 104
In Salt Lake City, Anthony Edwards contributed 32 points, eight assists, and seven rebounds to lead Minnesota to victory over Utah.
Naz Reid scored 17 points on 7-of-12 shooting but did not play after halftime due to a head injury. Reid's absence further weakened a Minnesota frontcourt that was already missing Rudy Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns due to injuries.
The Timberwolves capitalized on 17 turnovers and scored 27 points, securing their second victory over Utah in three days.
Collin Sexton was the top scorer for Utah with 24 points. Lauri Markkanen contributed 22 points and 12 rebounds after being absent for six games due to a bruised right quadriceps. Keyonte George added 15 points and eight assists.
John Collins scored 11 points and grabbed six rebounds for the Jazz in three quarters. Collins did not play in the fourth quarter, as he was being assessed for a concussion.
