In the second round of the NBA playoffs, the Heat defeated the 76ers 119-103, the Lone Rangers lost 109-129 to the Suns, and the Heat and Suns both won two consecutive series games to take a 2-0 lead. The 76ers and the Lone Rangers have different problems, embiid's absence after the 76ers are completely two teams, and the Lone Rangers side is more dependent on Doncic alone to lead the team, somewhat difficult to support, now it can be said that the Lone Rangers and 76ers have half a foot on the edge of the cliff.
After the Heat took a 2-0 lead in the series, the Heat's players also relaxed a lot. Speaking about Embiid after the game, Butler said: "If Embiid can play, he will attract everyone's attention everywhere, and what he does on the defensive end is incredible. As long as he plays, the 76ers are a much better team. I want him to play because we want to play with him and I think he's MVP. Butler's statement is somewhat not meant by Embiid's 76ers not being hot enough.
And center Adebayor is even more blunt, when the reporter asked: Considering your efficiency on the defensive end, can it be said that you will go to Philadelphia to win G3 and G4 and then reach the Eastern Conference Finals? Adebayor replied: "That's our plan, to take out our defense on the road, to defend the opponent and then to switch attacks and try to go there and win two games. "If the Heat can win two more games on the road, it will be a sweep of the 76ers.
But what makes the 76ers even more headache is the downturn of another superstar on the team, James Harden. In Embiid's absence, this should have been an opportunity for Harden to show his personal offensive strength, but Harden continued to pull his crotch in the playoffs. According to statistics, Harden averaged 7.1 points and 4.4 assists in the second half of the playoffs this season, shooting 37% and shooting 32% from three-point range. The corresponding figure in the first half was 11.6 points and 5 assists per game, shooting 42% and 37% from both fields. And in the eight games in the playoffs so far this season, Harden has only shot more than 40% in two games. Such a Harden is clearly not going to take the 76ers to the division finals.
Unlike Harden's continued crotch pull, the Suns' Paul continued his journey to supernaturality. Against the Lone Rangers, Paul's super performance in the second half led the Suns to a reversal. According to statistics, in the fourth quarter of the playoffs this season, Paul averaged 82 points per game and averaged 10.3 points per game, shooting a total of 64% of 47 shots, 6 of 16 three-point shooting rate of 38%, 17 of 16 shooting rate of 94%, a total of 20 assists, only 5 turnovers. The Suns are the king of the final quarters of all NBA teams this season, and Paul is the king of the final quarters of the Suns.
Looking back at the difficult summer of 2018, the Rockets led by Paul and Harden fought 7 games with the five-star Warriors at that time, and almost rushed out of the West. When the "Cannon Combination" disintegrated, Harden became more and more indulgent, but the state was not as good as a year, while Paul became older and more demon, and continued to attack the championship. Paul tells us with his own efforts and self-discipline that as long as you are always sincere, you will wait for the day when the grass will be abundant.