NBA: Philadelphia 76ers edge past Miami Heat to reach play-offs
- The Philadelphia 76ers secured a hard-fought victory over the Miami Heat, clinching their spot in the NBA playoffs with an impressive performance on the court.
To overcome the Miami Heat and advance to the NBA Playoffs, the Philadelphia 76ers had to come back from behind.
The fans booed the 76ers after they had a slow start and the Heat led 51-39 at the half.
However, Joel Embiid’s 23 points, 20 from Nicolas Batum, 15 rebounds, and five assists drove the 76ers to victory in a tight 105-104 victory.
“There was lots of booing, but we stuck together,” stated Embiid.
“It just shows that when I don’t play my best, I don’t get to my spots the whole game until the fourth quarter, we still find a way to win.”
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With 19 points, five assists, four rebounds, and five steals in the first half, Jimmy Butler led the Heat to victory. However, by the end of the game, he was hobbling due to a knee injury.
With the victory, the 76ers have locked up the seventh-seeded position in the Eastern Conference. They will take on the New York Knicks in the opening round of the playoffs.
To determine the eighth and final play-off position, the Heat will take on the Chicago Bulls in the play-in eliminator on Friday.
The Bulls defeated the Atlanta Hawks 131-116 to go to the elimination round.
With a career-high 42 points, Coby White led the Bulls to a comfortable victory, while Nikola Vucevic added 24 points and 12 rebounds.
The Hawks managed to stay in the game and trailed the Bulls by just three points with five minutes left in the first quarter, despite the Bulls having a commanding 40-22 advantage at the half.
However, Vucevic’s three-pointer gave the Bulls a boost, and they went on to win with ease.
As the Hawks’ season came to an end, Dejounte Murray scored 30 points, Bogdan Bogdanovic scored 21, and Trae Young and Clint Capela each scored 22.
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