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PHILADELPHIA -- The Philadelphia 76ers were officially eliminated from playoff contention following a 118-95 loss to the Miami Heat. It was only a matter of time when considering the team's record and injuries, but it became a formality with the loss on Saturday.
The Heat knocked down 20 triples and out-rebounded the Sixers 47-37 thanks to 14 rebounds by rookie Kel'el Ware who had a big size advantage against Philadelphia's Guerschon Yabusele. Tyler Herro had 30 points and seven assists for Miami on the night.
Quentin Grimes had 15 points and four rebounds for the Sixers while Jared Butler had 19 points and 10 assists. Ricky Council IV had 13 points, four assists, and six rebounds, Adem Bona had 16 points and 10 rebounds, and Justin Edwards added 17.
Here are the three biggest takeaways following the loss:
Bona's activity was impressive on Saturday. He was all over the place as he shot 8-for-9 from the floor and had three blocks. The amount of minutes he's getting combined with his work ethic and understanding of what is expected of him will help him so much down the stretch of the season. If he can continue to gain momentum, then the Sixers will be in a much better spot heading into the 2025-26 season. Bona will play some type of role for Philadelphia in the coming seasons.
Coach Nick Nurse said of Bona's opportunity:
Butler was a perfect 4-for-4 from deep against the Heat and it's the third straight game where he has made at least three triples. It's obvious that he has found a groove and rhythm from beyond the arc and if this keeps up, it unlocks another part of his game. He is already a dynamic guard with a quick first step and a clear understanding of how to play this game. Once he adds this 3-point aspect to his game, he is going to be a tough player to stop in the future.
"I just shoot," Butler said of his 3-point shot. "It’s so funny like playing basketball for however many years I’ve been able to shoot the ball, so like it’s a lot of the time it’s just getting time and giving patience, but I’m glad it’s falling, knocking down, and just keep going for it."
The 2024-25 season will mercifully end for Nurse and the Sixers in just eight more games. In what has been a miserable season in so many aspects, Nurse and the rest of the team are just looking to get to the finish line. With that being said, there are games left to be played. The job is not finished. While the Sixers may be eliminated, Nurse is looking to come into work and make sure his team is playing as hard as it can.
"I don’t think it changes anything that it's been for the last, you know, few weeks," Nurse said of the goals for the final eight games. "Still really need to get guys playing. I think, again, you look at like Justin. Keep playing him heavy minutes and getting him experienced. You gotta at least develop and build some of these young guys as much as you possibly can. Ricky Council, get more looks at Lonnie (Walker IV) now that he's back. Keep seeing what Quentin's got. The whole list needs to kind of keep fighting and playing and and we just got to keep trying to make them better."
This article originally appeared on Sixers Wire: 3 biggest takeaways for Sixers following elimination loss to Heat
Continue reading...
The Heat knocked down 20 triples and out-rebounded the Sixers 47-37 thanks to 14 rebounds by rookie Kel'el Ware who had a big size advantage against Philadelphia's Guerschon Yabusele. Tyler Herro had 30 points and seven assists for Miami on the night.
Quentin Grimes had 15 points and four rebounds for the Sixers while Jared Butler had 19 points and 10 assists. Ricky Council IV had 13 points, four assists, and six rebounds, Adem Bona had 16 points and 10 rebounds, and Justin Edwards added 17.
Here are the three biggest takeaways following the loss:
Adem Bona continues to grow
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Bona's activity was impressive on Saturday. He was all over the place as he shot 8-for-9 from the floor and had three blocks. The amount of minutes he's getting combined with his work ethic and understanding of what is expected of him will help him so much down the stretch of the season. If he can continue to gain momentum, then the Sixers will be in a much better spot heading into the 2025-26 season. Bona will play some type of role for Philadelphia in the coming seasons.
Coach Nick Nurse said of Bona's opportunity:
Butler taking steps forward as a shooter
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Butler was a perfect 4-for-4 from deep against the Heat and it's the third straight game where he has made at least three triples. It's obvious that he has found a groove and rhythm from beyond the arc and if this keeps up, it unlocks another part of his game. He is already a dynamic guard with a quick first step and a clear understanding of how to play this game. Once he adds this 3-point aspect to his game, he is going to be a tough player to stop in the future.
"I just shoot," Butler said of his 3-point shot. "It’s so funny like playing basketball for however many years I’ve been able to shoot the ball, so like it’s a lot of the time it’s just getting time and giving patience, but I’m glad it’s falling, knocking down, and just keep going for it."
Eight games left
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The 2024-25 season will mercifully end for Nurse and the Sixers in just eight more games. In what has been a miserable season in so many aspects, Nurse and the rest of the team are just looking to get to the finish line. With that being said, there are games left to be played. The job is not finished. While the Sixers may be eliminated, Nurse is looking to come into work and make sure his team is playing as hard as it can.
"I don’t think it changes anything that it's been for the last, you know, few weeks," Nurse said of the goals for the final eight games. "Still really need to get guys playing. I think, again, you look at like Justin. Keep playing him heavy minutes and getting him experienced. You gotta at least develop and build some of these young guys as much as you possibly can. Ricky Council, get more looks at Lonnie (Walker IV) now that he's back. Keep seeing what Quentin's got. The whole list needs to kind of keep fighting and playing and and we just got to keep trying to make them better."
This article originally appeared on Sixers Wire: 3 biggest takeaways for Sixers following elimination loss to Heat
Continue reading...
