Sixers: What to watch for vs. Heat in second round

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What to watch in Sixers-Heat: Defensive assignments

Who will guard who? The Sixers naturally have a difficult task ahead with so few quality options on the perimeter. The Heat don’t play a bunch of 6-foot-8 wings like Toronto — there are real guards and ball-handlers and iso threats on the perimeter. Miami’s speed could give the Sixers problems. That said, here’s how I think initial assignments will play out.

Tyrese Maxey –> Kyle Lowry
James Harden –> P.J. Tucker
Danny Green –> Max Strus
Tobias Harris –> Jimmy Butler
Joel Embiid –> Bam Adebayo

Maxey will have the unenviable but conquerable task of chasing Kyle Lowry around the perimeter, while Green will guard Miami’s sharpshooter of choice — be it Strus or Duncan Robinson. Harden’s assignment should require the least amount of energy and attention off the ball. Tucker will cut and duck inside, but he’s not posting up Harden or winning the strength battle inside.

The main threat of course is Jimmy Butler, a player the Sixers fanbase is plenty familiar with. My expectation is that Tobias Harris will get the first crack at his former teammate. He just played six games of excellent defense on Pascal Siakam and he’s the biggest, longest player Philadelphia can throw in Jimmy’s direction. That said, Green and Matisse Thybulle will get plenty of reps on Butler too.

Embiid will guard Adebayo in the post and play free safety, as we’re accustomed to. Adebayo can score, but Embiid should prove difficult to exploit in the post and Adebayo’s skill set is still mostly interior-oriented. How Embiid guards pick-and-rolls with Lowry and Tyler Herro will ultimately be his greatest challenge — and the greatest challenge for the Sixers’ coaching staff.

For Miami, the assignments will probably look like this.

Kyle Lowry –> Tyrese Maxey
Max Strus –> Danny Green
Jimmy Butler –> James Harden
P.J. Tucker –> Tobias Harris
Bam Adebayo –> Joel Embiid

Butler and Tucker can probably split Harden duties 50/50, while the Heat will certainly not run away from the Adebayo switches. I’m not sure Harden can beat Adebayo straight up right now, so the Sixers will have to find creative ways to hunt mismatches and get him moving downhill.