Kyle Lowry had a message for Sixers to close out win over former Heat team

Kyle Lowry had a message for the Philadelphia 76ers in order to close out his former Miami Heat team in a win.

PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia 76ers needed a win on Monday night at home against the Miami Heat. The standings are in a big bunch as the season begins to really come to a close. The Heat had won the first two matchups between the teams and the Sixers needed a win against Miami in the worst way.

The Sixers were able to do so with a 98-91 win on Monday, but it didn’t come easy. Philadelphia held a 12-point lead in the first half that it squandered and then held a 17-point lead in the third quarter before the Heat rallied to tie it and threaten to steal one on the road.

However, former Heat guard Kyle Lowry made sure the Sixers understood that they had to keep playing and close it out.

“They’re gonna fight, right? And they weren’t ever gonna quit,” coach Nick Nurse said of the Heat. “Kyle kept reminding everybody on the bench that they weren’t gonna quit even when we had a 17-point lead or whatever it was. They had a great run and we responded pretty good there at the end.”

The Heat are one of those teams that you have to knock them out to really beat them. No lead is ever safe and Miami doesn’t quit until the final buzzer sounds. Lowry has seen first-hand from his 2.5 seasons in South Florida. It’s that “HEAT Culture” that Miami proudly presents.

“I love and admire those guys so much,” said Lowry who drilled a big triple late and made winning plays all night. I still root for them except when I’m playing against him, but there was no added juice. There was just like go out there and try to win the game for our team because of the standing. It’s going to be a tight race and we got to do what we can do and hold it down while we can and then try to take advantage of opportunities that we have and win as many games as we possibly can.”

On the night, Lowry had 16 points including five in the waning moments of the game. Philadelphia needed him to stabilize things down the stretch and it was an important win for this group.

“He was in his OG bag tonight, man,” laughed Kelly Oubre Jr. “It was really good to see him aggressive. You definitely knew that he had the energy. It was his former team. He wanted to win very badly and that just goes to show the impact that he can bring. Any given night, he can use his IQ and manipulate and control the game and that’s what he did tonight.”

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Sixers understand importance of matchup with Heat in the standings

The Philadelphia 76ers understand the importance of Monday’s matchup with the Miami Heat for the playoff standings.

PHILADELPHIA — At this point in the season, with 15 games left for the Philadelphia 76ers, every game matters.

It has been a season filled with adversity when considering all the injuries to Joel Embiid, De’Anthony Melton, and others as well as guys being in and out of the lineup. Due to the challenges they have dealt with, the Sixers have dropped to the No. 8 seed in the East.

When Philadelphia plays host to the Miami Heat on Monday, it will be the third of four matchups between the two teams with the Heat taking the first two of the season series. It’s why Miami is currently the No. 7 seed as it holds the tiebreaker over the Sixers.

It makes the matchup on Monday that much more important in terms of the standings.

“Absolutely,” said Mo Bamba. “I think from that eight to four spot, there’s been a lot of movement in the last like week or so, and it’s something that we don’t necessarily monitor it, but we definitely look at it and just kind of see where we stand against other teams, because at the end of the day, it’s pretty important who you play first in the postseason.”

If the Sixers can get a win on Monday and then get one in Miami on April 4, the season series would be tied at 2-2. The next tiebreaker determination would be the better conference record and the Sixers would have a better chance at moving up in the standings and finishing ahead of the Heat.

“Absolutely,” Bamba added. “I’m sure it works where it’s tied like a series of 2-2, it comes down to like, record or it comes down to the points or however it goes, but as long as you kind of do what you got to do to win, it kind of takes care of itself.”

With that being said, coach Nick Nurse doesn’t want the Sixers to put more of an emphasis on this matchup than they would on any other game. Philadelphia wants to win all the time.

“We put all the emphasis we can on every game — seriously,” said Nurse. “We’re just trying to battle them. We’ve had two really competitive games with them. We haven’t ever really gotten to play them with our true lineup, but that’s OK — we’ve got to do it. Listen, they’re going to run fast, cut fast, move fast on offense. They play half-court offense at a really good pace. We’re going to have to be ready to run with them and fight through a lot of that stuff.”

The Sixers and the Heat will tip off at 7:30 p.m. EDT on Monday.

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Kai Jones discusses new opportunity by joining Sixers on 10-day deal

Kai Jones discusses getting another opportunity with the Philadelphia 76ers on his current 10-day deal.

The Philadelphia 76ers decided to bring in former Charlotte Hornets big man Kai Jones on a 10-day deal as they look to add to their big man depth. Jones is a former 2021 first-round pick before the Hornets released him after two seasons.

Coach Nick Nurse says the plan for Jones, who is currently dealing with a hamstring injury, is to keep him in the G League for this current 10-day deal. The Sixers will then evaluate it from there and decide what comes next for the young big man who is looking for another opportunity in the league.

Jones sat down with Shams Charania and discussed what happened with the Hornets, the losses in his life, and his new opportunity with the Sixers:

It’s an amazing opportunity. I’m blessed to be in this position and I’m very excited to go out and play. For me right now with this 10-day opportunity is to go in, take it one shot at a time, one defensive possession at a time, understand the coverages as quickly as I can, and know the players as quickly as I can. I want to make a smooth transition to the NBA.

It will be interesting to see if Jones will eventually get an opportunity with the Sixers as he continues with his second chance in the league.

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Sixers’ Nick Nurse sees improving Mo Bamba, wants more 3-pointers

Philadelphia 76ers coach Nick Nurse sees an improving Mo Bamba and is pushing him to shoot more 3-pointers.

PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia 76ers have relied on Mo Bamba a lot as a starter as Joel Embiid continues to recover from the procedure he underwent to repair a meniscus issue.

Bamba hasn’t been Embiid, then again, who is? But what Bamba has done is provide size and rim protection on defense and he has begun to show off more of a 3-point shot on the offensive end.

Over his previous five games, Bamba is a combined 3-for-5 from deep. He has shown something on offense as a pick-and-pop option in the halfcourt offense and he has been an option as a trailer on the fastbreak for a 3-point opportunity.

“Mo, I think, is getting better,” said coach Nick Nurse. “He’s getting better. I think that he’s getting a little bit more in shape. He’s been able to go a lot longer stints than I think he was even a month ago, and I think he’s actually getting close to being a little bit more of a pick-and-pop threat than he’s been in his career. Instead of one a week, I think he can start hunting down like two a game — two or four 3s a game and be comfortable on it.”

The more Bamba continues to hunt those 3-pointers, the more it makes opposing defenses have to pay attention to him and it spaces the floor even more for Tyrese Maxey and the others on the offensive end. That’s why Nurse wants him to take those shots.

“He mentioned in Milwaukee a few times, if you’re gonna make some, keep taking them, and I think it takes our team to a different level when I’m stretching the floor and having their big step out of the paint to do something that they don’t normally do,” Bamba added. “Especially when you’re playing against the (Rudy) Gobert’s and the (Brook) Lopez’s and Bam (Adebayo) who is also a good rim protector out there, but I think it takes our team to another level and step up.”

The Sixers will continue to hunt for great shots, but they will want to get Bamba involved offensively with those types of looks.

“I feel good about him now on the pick-and-pop,” Nurse finished. “He’s starting to look like–if he doesn’t make it, it’s going to go in and out or something like that. So he is improving at both ends.”

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Full injury report for Tobias Harris, Sixers vs. Heat in important matchup

Here is the full injury report for Tobias Harris and the Philadelphia 76ers when they take on the Miami Heat in an important matchup.

The Philadelphia 76ers will play host to the Miami Heat on Monday night in an important matchup this late in the season. The Sixers and the Heat are tied for the seventh seed in the East, but Miami holds the tiebreaker with a 2-0 lead in the season series.

With two matchups left between the teams, Philadelphia needs to win on Monday to at least get on the board in the season series before the final matchup between the teams in Miami on April 4.

Once again, the Sixers will be without Joel Embiid (left knee meniscus procedure), De’Anthony Melton (lumbar spine bone stress) and Robert Covington (left knee bone bruise). The Sixers had Embiid and Covington at practice on Sunday. Both did non-contact drills, which is a good sign for Philadelphia.

As for Tobias Harris, he is listed as questionable due to a right ankle sprain. He missed Saturday’s win over the Charlotte Hornets due to the issue.

The tip between the Sixers and the Heat is set for 7:30 p.m. EDT on Monday from the Wells Fargo Center.

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Buddy Hield reacts to Sixers adding big man Kai Jones on a 10-day

Buddy Hield reacts to the Philadelphia 76ers bringing in Kai Jones on a 10-day deal.

PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia 76ers made a move in the buyout market, taking a flier on athletic big man Kai Jones. The former 2021 first-round pick of the Charlotte Hornets played two seasons in Charlotte averaging 2.7 points and 2 rebounds across 67 games.

Coach Nick Nurse said the plan for Jones is to keep him in the G League on this 10-day deal and then evaluate him. He is still a young player who would benefit from being around Joel Embiid, Mo Bamba and Paul Reed. Those  three veterans can teach him the ropes.

Jones hails from the Bahamas just like Sixers sharpshooter Buddy Hield. The big man received a nice review from Hield.

“I saw him when he came in for his workout,” said Hield. “Kai, he was let go by the Hornets, but one thing about this league is you’re always getting another chance. I feel like coming here, he’ll get to see some of the veteran big men like Mo Bamba, Paul Reed, and if Joel comes back in time, he can see how they work.”

The biggest thing Jones can offer right now is his motor and his athleticism. The Sixers could absolutely use his ability to come up with big plays such as game-changing blocks, steals or highlight dunks. He wasn’t able to shine in Charlotte, but Philadephia offers another opportunity.

“He’s a guy that belongs in this league,” Hield added. “His athleticism is 99th-percentile athleticism. The way he plays, he’s just a freak of nature. I think he’s just got to keep staying humble and keep working.”

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Sixers react to having big man Joel Embiid back at practice on Sunday

The Philadelphia 76ers react to having Joel Embiid back at practice on Sunday afternoon.

CAMDEN, N.J. — The Philadelphia 76ers’ Joel Embiid returned to practice on Sunday for non-contact drills. The big fella continues to recover from a meniscus injury in his left knee and the subsequent surgery on Feb. 6.

Embiid participating in practice does not mean a return to the floor is right around the corner, but having the big fella do something in practice is a morale boost. His mere presence is a big positive as the team’s leader and unquestioned best player.

“He looked pretty good to me,” smiled Cam Payne. “For my first time seeing him, he looked pretty good, man. He attracts a lot of attention out here. So it’s probably gonna make our job a little bit easier.”

Payne, who was acquired from the Milwaukee Bucks at the deadline, has yet to play with Embiid on the floor. He needs to get some type of practice time with him as he gets integrated with the Sixers on the floor.

Philadelphia is 11-22 without Embiid, and they have missed him in a variety of ways. Obviously, the big fella averages 35.3 points per game. Any team misses that, but there is another area the Sixers miss him the most.

“I mean, when you have a team around one guy that pretty much like gravitates all around — I mean, of course, it’s tough to not play with him, but like I said, something that I’m so impressed by him this year was his playmaking,” Nic Batum said. “Yes, he’s scoring 35 points per game. That’s insane, but his playmaking, like the way he plays for the other guys is something that he got better. It’s something very underrated. It’s something I think we’re missing a lot.”

Embiid was averaging a career-high 5.7 assists on the season before the injury. Once he returns, one has to wonder how he will help Payne and Buddy Hield on this roster. Those guys will benefit greatly from the attention Embiid attracts on the floor and will make the offense flow so well.

With 15 games left, Philadelphia needs to continue to stay afloat until the reigning league MVP can return. As long as Embiid is on the floor, the Sixers will always have a chance.

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Mo Bamba feeling comfortable starting for Sixers with Joel Embiid out

Mo Bamba is feeling comfortable as a starter for the Philadelphia 76ers with Joel Embiid still out.

PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia 76ers are working through this period without Joel Embiid, but they have gotten solid play out of Mo Bamba.

With Embiid out, the Sixers have turned to Bamba and Paul Reed to fill minutes at center. Results have been mixed.

Bamba has produced some solid production during his time as a starter. His numbers aren’t eye-popping. He’s averaging 4.1 points and 4.8 rebounds in his game as starter, but his size and shot-blocking ability make a difference. He had eight rebounds and a block in Saturday’s win over the Charlotte Hornets.

“Pretty comfortable because you can set the tone early,” Bamba said of starting for the Sixers. “I know when we played them last time I was able to set the tone early with two plays at the rim. I let my energy die down a little bit after my second or third stint, but today (Saturday) it was just a matter of just doing things the right way compared to last game.”

There have been times Bamba’s energy level drops throughout a game. He knows that. Being the professional he is, it’s about correcting the mistakes and continuing to prepare for the next opportunity. He was essential in the win over the Hornets.

“Not over helping, not stepping up and letting them get rolls behind, but also being there for (Brandon) Miller who likes to come off to his left for jump shots and stuff, but just been feels good to get out there and set the tone defensively and let our second unit kind of build,” Bamba added. “I mean, this is the second game straight they were huge for us all off the bench and you got to kind of tip your hat, too.”

On offense, Bamba has attempted at least one 3-pointer in his last five games, taking at least two in three of those games. It appears as though that shot is becoming a bit of an emphasis for him as he moves forward.

“Yes and no,” he said of the 3s he’s attempting. “I know that on this team compared to the teams that I’ve been on before, like, offense isn’t something that I think about too much because we got Reese (Tyrese Maxey) who can throw them in a bunch. You got Buddy (Hield) who can shoot the lights out. You got KO (Kelly Oubre Jr.) who can put up numbers. Tobias (Harris) when he gets back is able to put up numbers.”

Bamba’s role with the Sixers is to block shots and make an impact defensively. Whatever offense he provides is a plus.

“So as far as just what shots I get and how many shots I get, and what kind of shots I get, I’m not too overly concerned with it,” he finished. “It’s just being that backline help on defense and backline voice and just making sure to get our guys in order.”

The Sixers will host the Miami Heat on Monday.

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Sixers’ Nick Nurse discusses how Tyrese Maxey is being officiated

Philadelphia 76ers coach Nick Nurse discusses how Tyrese Maxey is officiated after a win over the Charlotte Hornets.

PHILADELPHIA — Officiating was on the mind of some after the Philadelphia 76ers fell to the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday. Tyrese Maxey had 30 points, but he only took three free throws despite constantly being aggressive and getting into the paint.

Maxey took a number of hits and it appeared he should have been at the line much more often. He is an All-Star, after all, and All-Stars get the benefit of the whistle in games such as that one.

After Maxey went 11-for-12 from the line in Saturday’s win over the Charlotte Hornets, coach Nick Nurse was asked about how Maxey is officiated.

“There’s certainly a level of frustration, and I think that — and I always tell the refs, too, I don’t really care if they’re not going to call them, but you can’t be calling tap fouls for another guy on the other team the whole game,” Nurse said. “You know, when we’re barely scraping on or you’re not even sure they got him on the elbow or really late little bump or all the way through.”

To be clear, officiating isn’t why the Sixers lost to the Bucks. Philadelphia had its chances to put that game away when it went up by double digits, but didn’t capitalize.

However, when Maxey is doing everything he possibly can to get a call while Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo is shooting 18 free throws, it can get a little ridiculous.

“If you’re not going to call them, you’re not going to call them,” said Nurse. “That’s what I’m down with or if you’re going to call them, you’re going to call them, right? It shouldn’t ever be one guy is going in there and barely getting touched and another guy’s getting crashed into and it’s not that way. That’s my only thing and we can adjust either way.”

Maxey will eventually get star calls in this league. That’s how it goes in the NBA. A star gets calls others will not. It is what it is, but the Sixers will just have to continue to play through the whistle and execute their schemes to win games.

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Sixers single out Buddy Hield for big 2nd half in win over Hornets

The Philadelphia 76ers gave a lot of love to Buddy Hield after a big win over the Charlotte Hornets.

PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia 76ers needed a boost on Saturday against the Charlotte Hornets. They needed somebody other than Tyrese Maxey and Kelly Oubre Jr. to step up in the scoring department.

After a quiet first half, Buddy Hield came to the rescue.

Hield was scoreless at halftime, but he came alive after halftime scoring 14 points in the second half to help the Sixers defeat the Hornets, 109-98.

“He was good,” said Maxey. “He was Buddy Hield. He shot. He was aggressive. He drove the ball, kicked the ball. He played great defense as well. So we need him to do that and continue to do that as well.”

Hield and Paul Reed both played a part in the victory on Saturday. While Hield contributed scoring, Reed had nine points and six rebounds after halftime. Seven points and four boards came in the fourth quarter.

“I thought both Paul and Buddy were really good in the second half, right?” added coach Nick Nurse. “That’s a great bounce back because they didn’t quite get into the rhythm of the game in the first half. So that’s good to go out there and get yourself involved. Buddy really kept us going there for a stretch and that was good to see. He got to some good spots. He got some good looks. Made a couple 3s.”

Afterward, Hield admitted he mentally wasn’t there to start the night. The Sixers had just returned from a tough road trip and facing a bad Hornets team can take a bit to get the competitive juices going.

“I feel like mentally I wasn’t there,” Hield stated. “I was just roaming around, and I wasn’t productive. That’s why I didn’t play that much in the first half, I wasn’t productive, but you know, — second half, you go and regroup yourself, get your thoughts together, get your mind right. Go out and shoot a little bit. I was able to see one go down. Attack the basket a couple of times and get a couple of jump shots.”

Hield and the Sixers will play host to the Miami Heat in an important matchup on Monday.

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