Fans have learned a lot about the Philadelphia 76ers in their first round series win against the Toronto Raptors. However, it’s time to move on to the second round matchup against the Miami Heat.
Just like with the first round series, it’s important to look at the matchups in this series. Sadly, Joel Embiid won’t be included in this article due to the facial injury he suffered at the end of the Raptors series.
He’s going to miss at least the first two games of this series and with that in mind, the matchups below will be even more important moving forward. it should be noted that while these players did or didn’t match up on the floor on a regular basis during Game 1, they are on the same level of importance for their respective teams.
It should be noted this article was written after Game 1.
3 key matchups in Philadelphia 76ers-Miami Heat series: Tyrese Maxey vs. Tyler Herro
Did these two guard each other that much in Game 1? No, but they essentially function as the type of player for their respective teams. They’re both young guards who can carry the offense for their respective clubs. In Game 1, Tyrese Maxey had 19 points on 6-15 field goals, while Herro had 25 points and seven assists on 9-17 from the floor.
Maxey’s a starter and Tyler Herro‘s the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year. The difference between the two players is simple. Herro’s more a shooter, whereas Maxey’s a much quicker player and a better defender.
If the Philadelphia 76ers want to have a chance in this series, then several things are going to have to happen in this series. In regards to Herro, the Sixers are going to have to punish the Heat on the defensive end. It’s far to say, that Herro is one of the worst, if not the worst defender on the Heat’s roster. Philly has to attack him more on that end moving forward.
On the flip side, Maxey has to be more aggressive in attacking and create high-quality shots for himself. Part of his struggles is Miami’s defense but due to his quick-twitch athleticism, he should be able to come over that.