76ers at Heat
THE STORY: This is what the Miami Heat were talking about last July when they managed to bring LeBron James and Chris Bosh to town while retaining Dwyane Wade. The “Big Three” promised championships, and now it is time to deliver. The Philadelphia 76ers are not to be overlooked, however, as a team on the rise with plenty of young talent that can keep the Heat on their toes. Miami will be looking to jump out strong when they host the 76ers in Game 1 of the best-of-seven set on Saturday.
TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC
ABOUT THE HEAT: Miami has had its ups and downs this season but appears to be peaking at the right time with wins in 12 of 14 to close out the regular season. James and Wade are legitimate MVP contenders and the Heat are starting to get valuable contributions from role players like Mike Bibby, James Jones and Joel Anthony. They made a statement last Sunday, crushing the Boston Celtics, 100-77, to leap into the No. 2 spot in the Eastern Conference. The victory highlighted the two things that will keep Miami in it this spring – strong team defense and explosive transition offense.
ABOUT THE 76ERS: Philadelphia started the season 3-13 under head coach Doug Collins but quickly turned it around, rising as high as four games over .500 at 40-36 before dropping five of six to close out the regular season. That slide came after their playoff future was secure and Collins was juggling the minutes to keep everyone sharp. Andre Iguodala sat out the last two games with right knee tendonitis but is expected to be ready for the series. Iguodala will be relied upon heavily to guard James and handle scoring and passing duties on the other end.
WHO’S HOT/WHO’S NOT: James is averaging 28 points, 7.3 rebounds and 7.7 assists in his last three for Miami. Jrue Holiday has recorded three double-doubles (points and assists) in the last six games for Philadelphia.
KEY STATISTIC: Turnovers. The 76ers are tied for the NBA lead in fewest turnovers, handing it over an average of 13.0 times. The Heat are at their best when they can get out and run the floor, and limiting turnovers will help keep them contained in the half court.
SEASON SERIES: The Heat took all three meetings this season, winning each by at least nine points. The most recent matchup was Mar. 25 in Miami, with the Heat claiming a 111-99 victory. Wade led the charge with 39 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists.
LAST WORD: “They’re very tough, they go very deep,” Wade said of the 76ers. “I mean, you look at them, they’ve got guys all pretty much averaging the same amount. They shoot the same amount of shots. They play very hard. They’ve got a very good coaching staff.”