In the series with the Raptors, although there were several twists and turns, but relying on the excellent performance of Embiid and Harden in Game 6, the 76ers still eliminated the Raptors by a large score of 4:2, refused to reverse, and entered the semifinals at the same time.
In the semifinals, the 76ers ushered in the challenge of the No. 1 Heat in the East, a opponent that is very strong, but they are easier to deal with than the Bucks and Green Army, and the probability of the 76ers winning the series is higher.
Unfortunately, with the Heat about to meet the Heat, the 76ers have a huge injury problem.
That's right, this injury is Embiid! In Game 6 of the series against the Raptors, Embiid was elbowed by him while defending Sika, not only the orbit was fractured, but also a slight concussion, which forced Embiid to recuperate.
According to the rules of the NBA league, there are strict rules for the handling of concussions, which makes it impossible for Embiid to play the first game with the Heat, even G2 can not play, when to return is not clear, which also makes the 76ers face huge pressure.
Against the Heat, what is the advantage of the 76ers? It's Embiid! Although the Heat have Adebayo, it is not enough to face the MVP-level Embiid, and the 76ers' interior line is also the biggest key to their victory! But with Embiid injured, the 76ers' inner advantage was instantly gone, and Embiid did not have a reliable substitute, the 76ers could only send Harris to play the inside, and it was more difficult to beat the Heat.
In addition, Embiid's injury caused the 76ers to lose the main offensive point on the court, and Rivers also made changes to let Harden take on a heavier offensive task.
Rivers said in an interview: Embiid is likely to be absent due to injury, we will let another main player Harden take on more scoring tasks, which is not difficult for Harden, we will also configure him with a good shooter, so that he is always competitive.
Harden acts as the main attacker, and in the case of Embiid's injury, the 76ers can only do so, but this is not a very reliable tactic for Harden and the 76ers.
Why? Based on 2 points of consideration.
First of all, Harden's own state is problematic! After Harden came to the 76ers, compared to the Rockets period or the first season of the Nets, the decline was not a star and a half, but a lot, and the personal offense was completely out of the sharpness of the past! In the regular season, Ha had 21 points, 7.1 rebounds and 10.5 assists, shooting only 40.2% from the field and only 32.6% from 3 points, all of which set a new career low for Harden! In the playoffs, Harden performed equally poorly, averaging 19 points, 5 rebounds and 10.2 assists per game, shooting only 40.5%, and averaging 3.5 turnovers per game, the performance was equally bad, and now Harden, far from the past, has lost the nature of the killer.
Secondly, it is the Heat's excellent defense!
The Heat met the Hawks in the first round, and they made a very good defense against the Hawks' Trae Young, and Trae Young and Harden played very similarly, and the state was still above Harden, but when facing the Heat's defense, how was Trae Young?
In the first round of the 5-game series with the Heat, Trae Young averaged only 15.4 points, 5 rebounds and 6 assists per game, and you can guide Trae Young to average 28.4 points, 3.7 rebounds and 9.7 assists in the regular season. Under the Heat's defense, Trae Young's shooting rate is as low as 32%, and the average number of errors per game is as high as 6, which completely loses its role on the court, which is also the fundamental reason why the Eagles have been solved in 5 games.
Imagine Harden? His current form and ability may not be much better than Trae Young's, and when he faces the Heat's defense against Trae Young, how can he perform? In the absence of Embiid's restraint, it is likely to be inferior to Trae Young, not to mention that the Heat also has a Tucker who knows Harden very well, and Harden's hard days when playing the Heat can be imagined.
32% + 6 turnovers, Harden take a good look, this is Trae Young was targeted, and you may not be much better than this in the showdown with the Heat.