If Jared McCain keeps cooking and the team’s stars get going, maybe the Sixers can return to winning against a Heat team playing on the second night of a back-to-back.
Update, 7:08 p.m.: Despite being downgraded to doubtful earlier in the day, Joel Embiid will play when the Sixers take on the Miami Heat Monday night.
As we’ve learned over the years, the injury report is more of a suggestion for Embiid. Rookie Jared McCain remains in the starting lineup and Kelly Oubre, Jr. will continue to come off the bench.
For the Heat, Jimmy Butler will make his return from a four-game absence with a sprained ankle while guard Terry Rozier is out with a foot issue.
Update: 11:21 a.m.: ESPN’s Shams Charania reports Joel Embiid, who was listed as questionable Sunday night, has been downgraded to doubtful with an illness.
76ers’ Joel Embiid (illness) is listed as doubtful for tonight’s game vs. Heat in Miami.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 18, 2024
The Sixers may have had Joel Embiid and Paul George together in their last game, but still fell to the Magic, 98-86. Even though Jared McCain was terrific yet again, it wasn’t enough to secure a win as the stars struggled. Now at 2-10, the Sixers are second-to-last in an Eastern Conference that’s been pretty terrible to open this season. It’s kind of startling that there are still only four teams above .500.
Next, following an extra day of rest as they try to start clawing their way into some kind of groove, the Sixers are on the road against the 5-7 Heat, who are on the second night of a back-to-back after losing 119-110 to the Pacers on Sunday.
At a just below .500 record and 15th in offensive rating and 17th in defense, the Heat have been well and truly average to start the season. Although in the current East, that’s still enough to rank eighth, and well above Philly.
As for the state of the Sixers, the main update alongside Tyrese Maxey’s continued absence with his hamstring injury is that Embiid is now listed as questionable due to illness. Because we clearly didn’t have enough reasons for this team to be shorthanded already…
While Embiid is still finding his form, he’s always typically had his way against Bam Adebayo, Kevin Love and the Heat. So that should be a major factor in the Sixers’ favor if Embiid is active.
While the Heat’s frontcourt of Adebayo and Love is healthy, they could be depleted in other areas on Monday. Jaime Jaquez Jr. left Sunday’s game with a right ankle sprain and expects to miss some time. Jimmy Butler was out on Sunday with a right ankle sprain, and Barry Jackson and Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald have reported that while it’s expected Butler returns on Monday against Philly, it’s not guaranteed.
Apart from Butler if he returns and some of the Heat’s solid bench pieces, Tyler Herro is the opponent to watch while he’s having a hot start to the year. He’s leading the team with 24.5 points per game and shooting lights out from beyond the arc after upping his volume, launching 9.5 threes a game and making 45.7 percent. He didn’t slow down against Indiana at the weekend either, scoring 28 and hitting seven triples.
Frankly, Jared McCain Watch is the best thing to look forward to right now for the Sixers. The rookie continues to stand out and fire up the offense with his increased playmaking, crafty drive/pull-up game, and versatile three-point shooting. He’s showing so much impressive skill and poise already.
When McCain is using hesitations and footwork that’s this good on his drives as well, it makes him hard to stop when he’s already such a threat from three.
Nothing to see here, just Jared McCain scoring on one of the best defenders in the world pic.twitter.com/kWxVj8DiEC
— Dan Olinger (@dan_olinger) November 16, 2024
He’s now averaged a whopping 28.3 points on 50.6/43.9/100 shooting splits with 4.5 assists over the last four games. Seeing how he picks his spots against Herro and Terry Rozier will be fun to watch.
McCain could just use a better showing from PG (after that 13-point, 4-of-15 shooting night against Orlando) and hopefully a healthy Embiid to make life easier.
With how weak the East has been, the Sixers (somewhat understandably) aren’t panicking about their start to the season.
“To be honest, the East isn’t doing that great.” George said to reporters after Friday’s loss to Orlando. “So, not to look at it in that matter, but I don’t think there’s a panic with how the East is going. We’ve still got a ton of the season left and a ton to improve, and a ton to jump up in the (standings) once we start playing well. Again, it’s on our side, but the East hasn’t been separated. So, with that, we’ve got time.”
Lack of panic aside, it would still be a good time to start turning things up so the team can fire on something close to full cylinders when Maxey is back. Maybe facing this Heat team, who will be at an energy disadvantage and should struggle against Embiid if he’s available, is an opportunity to start that.
Game Details
Who: Philadelphia 76ers vs. Miami Heat
When: 7:30 p.m. ET
Where: Kaseya Center, Miami, FL
Watch: NBC Sports Philadelphia
Radio: 97.5 The Fanatic
Follow: @LibertyBallers