The Philadelphia 76ers opened the 2018 NBA Playoffs with a victory, showing that they could be a nightmare for a number of teams this postseason.
Make it 17 wins in a row. The Philadelphia 76ers made their return to the NBA Playoffs and got off to a rocking start, defeating the Miami Heat 130-103 in Game 1. J.J. Redick led all scorers with 28 points while rookie Ben Simmons showed no early signs of playoff jitters in Philadelphia’s first playoff win since 2012.
Simmons nearly finished his first game in the postseason with a triple-double, finishing with 17 points, 14 assists and nine rebounds. He was superb as the Sixers’ leader on the floor, commanding a second half surge that put Philadelphia in the driver’s seat for good.
The 76ers outscored the Heat 74-43 in the second half after trailing 60-56 at halftime. They made a number of adjustments to come out hot in the third quarter and Miami simply had no answer. The Sixers led by as many as 29 points before it was over after trailing by as many as 12 points in the first half.
The Heat will need to regroup and in a hurry with Game 2 around the corner on Monday. Philadelphia looks laser-focused in postseason play one game in. Big man Joel Embiid could return in Game 2 or 3, but based on how the club is performing, adding him to the rotation will just enhance the experience. Here are three takeaways from their Game 1 victory.