Miami Heat
Hanging on to the eight-seed in the East by 1.5 games over the Detroit Pistons, Miami is looking to give future Hall of Famer Dwyane Wade one last playoff push with the team that drafted him. With the fifth-ranked defense, the Heat certainly are capable of stifling opponents, but they are inept offensively. Averaging only 105.2 points per game, the Heat average fewer points per game than the last-place Phoenix Suns.
The Heat do not have a starting five that can come close to matching with that of the 76ers, and do not have a bench that is any better. In their only matchup this season, Philadelphia handled the Heat with ease, winning 124-114 in Miami. With two more matchups towards the end of the regular season, 76ers fans will get to see if this Miami team is a threat to pull a playoff upset. Realistically, the answer is no.
The 76ers score 115 points per game, and the addition of Harris should only increase those numbers. Miami’s offense is just not capable of keeping up in a playoff series with the high-powered offense the Sixers put on the floor every night. Though a rematch of last year’s first round between Philadelphia and Miami is unlikely, it would be one that the 76ers would be very confident in attacking.
Pick: Sixers in 4
Outlook
There are 28 games left in the regular season, and the Sixers sit one game out of third place int he East. These star additions to the team will certainly be impactful come the playoffs, but Harris and any other deadline acquisitions will need some time to gel with their new teammates. Once this team is performing as one unit, the rest of the NBA is in for a scare.
It is not yet known whether we will be able to retain both Butler and Harris, who are set to become free agents this offseason. The Sixers front office is now clearly all-in on this season and making a deep playoff run is a real possibility for this team. Let’s hope they can pull off a run for the ages.