Sixers matchups to watch: Heat, Jan. 12
Despite Miami’s trip to the NBA Finals, Miami and Philadelphia were mostly equals in the Eastern Conference last season. Now entering 2020-21, the Heat have done little to improve the roster, while Philadelphia has taken a significant step forward. This isn’t to say Philadelphia is better than Miami, but the Heat are far from untouchable.
Of course, the highlight of this matchup is Jimmy Butler’s return to Philly. The Sixers and Heat are scheduled for a double-header, so Butler and Miami are right back in the Wells Fargo Center on Jan. 14. That should give the Sixers plenty of time to get a feel for this year’s Heat squad.
Beyond Butler, the Heat are loaded with shooters and shot-makers along the perimeter. Again, that has traditionally been difficult for this Sixers defense to contain. With Dave Joerger now in charge of the Sixers’ defense, does that change?
The landscape of the Eastern Conference is fairly crowded. The same six teams that topped the standings last season — Milwaukee, Toronto, Boston, Miami, Indiana, and Philadelphia — are all in position to extend or improve upon last season’s success. Now Brooklyn enters the mix, while teams like Washington and Atlanta are attempting to vault themselves into the conversation. It could be a fun year.