Sixers find themselves officially eliminated from playoff contention after much-needed loss to Heat
The loss dropped the Sixers to 23-51. It was their seventh straight loss and 24th in 28 games
The difference between the talented and inexperienced presented itself again awkwardly at the Wells Fargo Center. The result was almost predictable by now — 76ers fans filing out quietly with a quarter left to play.
In one corner was fresh-faced All-Star guard Tyler Herro. He had 30 points and six assists Saturday night for the Miami Heat. In the other corner was post player Guerschon Yabusele, who finished with one point in 29 minutes and 56 seconds.
To no one’s great surprise, the Sixers lost, 118-95, surrendering 16 offensive rebounds and grabbing a meager six themselves.
The loss dropped the Sixers to 23-51. It was their seventh-straight loss and 24th in 28 games. Most importantly, they have sole possession of the league’s fifth-worst record, a half-game ahead of the Brooklyn Nets. And it eliminated them from postseason contention for the first time in eight seasons.
But don’t feel sorry for the Sixers.
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They’re tanking with the hope of keeping their first-round pick, which is top-six protected. So this was a much-needed setback.
And it could get worse or better, depending on who you ask. They will face the Toronto Raptors at home on Sunday. While Toronto is just 27-47, they’ve beaten the Sixers in their previous three games.
After facing the Raptors, the Sixers will travel to the New York Knicks on Tuesday before returning home to face the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday and Minnesota Timberwolves on April 5.
The Knicks (46-27), Bucks (40-33) and Timberwolves (42-32) are the only teams with a winning record on the Sixers’ remaining schedule. They’ll finish out the season at the Heat (33-41) on April 7 and Washington Wizards on April 9 before facing the Atlanta Hawks on April 11 and Chicago Bulls on April 13 at home.
But on this night, Jared Butler paced the Sixers with 19 points and 10 assists. Adem Bona added 16 points, 10 rebounds, and three blocks. Quentin Grimes had 15 points while playing in just three quarters.
As has been the case recently, the Sixers were without most of their key players.
Andre Drummond had missed the previous eight games with a sprained left toe. Before Saturday’s contest, the center was ruled out for five more games. He’ll be re-evaluated in a week.
Tyrese Maxey (sprained right finger), Kelly Oubre Jr. (sprained right knee) and Kyle Lowry (right hip injury management) also remained sidelined. Meanwhile, Joel Embiid (left knee injury management), Paul George (left groin injury recovery), Jared McCain (left knee meniscus surgery), and Eric Gordon (right wrist surgery) are shut down for the remainder of the season.
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The Sixers’ depleted roster has created scoring opportunities for Quentin Grimes. The shooting guard had averaged a career-high 22.1 points in his first 21 games as Sixer after being acquired via a trade from the Dallas Mavericks on Feb. 6.
“So much of this league is about opportunity, timing, fit,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “He’s getting all of it right now just in terms of the opportunities, the injuries that they’ve had.
“He’s proven that he can be a real quality rotation guy, you know, [in] his previous stops. But now, he’s proven that, you know, he can be more also.”
Grimes had averaged 29.2 points in his nine games before Saturday as the Sixers’ primary scoring option. His role will change some while playing alongside Embiid, Maxey, and George, assuming the restricted free agent comes back next season.
With that, Sixers coach Nick Nurse was asked how he envisioned the combo guard playing alongside the Big Three.
“Listen, he can score the ball, and he can shoot the three, right?” Nurse said. “I like his defensive pressure. He can move his feet side to side. He can get through screens. He can chase people off screens.
“I’ve asked him to start rebounding more. We need our guards to be rebounders. He’s done a better job of that. So I say I want him to do all those things.”
Like the Sixers’ recent opponents, the Heat were without several players: Kevin Love (personal reasons), Nikola Jokic (broken right hand), Duncan Robinson (left sacroiliac joint dysfunction), Dru Smith (left Achilles surgery), and Andrew Wiggins (right hamstring tendinopathy).