PLAYER GRADES: Miami Heat 122, Philadelphia 76ers 99
By Sam Coltrane
The Philadelphia 76ers got blown out early and often in Dwyane Wade’s final home game of his illustrious career.
Dwyane Wade was treated to emotional tributes from former teammates LeBron James, Shaquille O’Neal, and others. He also received a message from former President Barack Obama. The game was meaningful, just not for the NBA standings.
Philadelphia entered the game with the three seed locked up. It’s a good thing because the game was downhill from before the tip-off.
Philadelphia opened the game 8-2. Then they proceeded to be outscored 32-12 over the rest of the first quarter.
At halftime, Miami led by 19.
A bright spot for Philadelphia came in the third quarter when Shake Milton drained a three-point shot to end the drought that was 13 straight missed three-point attempts to start the game.
The fourth quarter was Wade’s show. The basketball being played had moved well past the line of unwatchable, but Wade put up 13 of his 30 points in the fourth, including a banked three-point shot that just exemplified the night.
<strong>20 mins | 6 pts | 9 reb | 2 ast | 0 stl | 0 blk | 0 TO | 3-16 FG | 0-6 3PT| 0-0 FT | 0 PF | -15 |</strong><p><a rel=. PF. Philadelphia 76ers. TOBIAS HARRIS. F
C+. <strong>19 mins | 18 pts | 5 reb | 2 ast | 0 stl | 0 blk | 1 TO | 6-8 FG | 0-0 3PT| 6-6 FT | 3 PF | +8 |</strong><p><a rel=. C. Philadelphia 76ers. GREG MONROE
C-. <strong>26 mins | 14 pts | 2 reb | 8 ast | 3 stl | 0 blk | 2 TO | 5-9 FG | 2-3 3PT| 2-2 FT | 1 PF | -4 |</strong><p><a rel=. SG. Philadelphia 76ers. JONATHON SIMMONS
Philadelphia 76ers. ZHAIRE SMITH. D+. <strong>29 mins | 11 pts | 2 reb | 2 ast | 0 stl | 0 blk | 2 TO | 4-8 FG | 1-3 3PT| 2-2 FT | 3 PF | -22 |</strong><p><a rel=. SG
D. <strong>16 mins | 7 pts | 8 reb | 1 ast | 1 stl | 0 blk | 0 TO | 2-9 FG | 2-6 3PT| 1-2 FT | 1 PF | +3 |</strong><p>Milton got minutes and experience. He didn’t shoot the ball great, but his eight rebounds reminded fans that he is a good-sized guard. He didn’t get hurt. That was the highlight for most of the individuals not named Wade.</p>. SG. Philadelphia 76ers. SHAKE MILTON
Ordinarily, as I have iterated in the last 10 days, Philadelphia has the three seed locked up and is just waiting for the playoffs. On the surface, that is okay. However, with Harris shooting 3-16 and the team looking more lottery bound than a championship threat without Embiid, Philadelphia will need to hone-in before they tip-off in the playoffs against either the Orlando Magic or the Brooklyn Nets.
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They have their final game Wednesday in Philadelphia against the Chicago Bulls.