On May 3, Beijing time, in the first game of the Eastern Conference semifinals of Philadelphia away to challenge the Heat, Philadelphia was once behind by 14 points in the absence of core Embiid, but Harden's attack and pass combination led Philadelphia to score double figures in the first two quarters, and successfully surpassed the Heat by 1 point in the first half.
When Embiid, who averaged 30+10 per game in the regular season, could not play, he had already determined that he would not qualify for the first two games of the second round because of a fractured left eye socket and a slight concussion, and Philadelphia, who played away, was naturally looked down upon, even if the Heat lacked the core of the backcourt Lowry.
In the first four minutes of the first quarter, Philadelphia was suppressed on both ends of the offensive and defensive ends, and was suppressed by the Heat to play 18-6 on the offensive 18-6 offensive points and trailed by 12 points. Philadelphia trailed by 14 points in the first half, but Philadelphia gradually fought back to chase points, they chased 22-30 in the first quarter and trailed by 8 points, while Harden scored 5 points in 1 of 5 in the first quarter, but there were 4 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 turnovers.
Fortunately, Harden picked up in the second quarter, he gradually stepped up his offensive attack on 3 of 4 in a single quarter, and in the first half, he had 4 of 9, plus 2 of 2 free throws, and had 12 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 turnovers. Harden led Philadelphia to a triple-double in the first half, with Harris 14 points and Maxi 10 points, but Philadelphia did not perform well on 3-of-17 three-pointers in the first half, but still won 29-20 and scored 9 points in the second quarter, thus winning 1 point at 51-50 in the first half.
The Heat also scored in double figures in the first half, butler scoring 11 points on 4-of-12, Adebayor on 5-of-7 with 12+8+3, and Giro on 4-of-7 with 12 points. The Heat didn't have to make 4-of-16 three-pointers in the first half, and the Heat had already made 10 turnovers in two quarters.
(Text/Drunken Floating Life)