Miami Heat get physical in Game 1, handle Joel Embiid-less Philadelphia 76ers

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The Miami Heat did not have their best in the opener of their Eastern Conference semifinal series against the Philadelphia 76ers, but it was still good enough.

The sellout crowd at FTX Arena saw the Heat beat the 76ers despite playing without starting point guard Kyle Lowry and shooting 9-for-36 from 3-point range.

When asked if there was more pressure to take advantage of the 76ers without Embiid, the Heat coach said that he didn't want to add more context to anything. It is just trying to get to the next game or the game at hand. We are going to focus on that. I think that adds a different kind of context and pressure because we haven't had any discussions about it.

It is just about putting together your best game plan to win that game. We will focus on the next 48 hours on Game 2.

The performance in Game 1 was not good. The team shot just 43% from the field, and only managed 15 points from star forward Jimmy Butler.

The 76ers were worse. They shot 6-for-34 from 3-point range, committed 15 turnovers that became 22 points for the Heat and were outrebounded 47-37, including 15-9 on the offensive glass, which helped the Heat get up 13 more shots.

In the first round against Toronto, we told our guys that they couldn't force turnovers because they couldn't have more shots than us.

We have to work with a small margin for error so we don't give a team 13 extra shots on the road without him.

The Philadelphia 76ers will have to play at least one more game without their star center, who is out with an injury. The 76ers admitted that they let a winnable game get away, particularly with the absence of Kyle Lowry and the Heat.

James Harden, who scored 16 points on 5-of-13 shooting, took just four free throws and had five assists, said that they are not trying to miss shots, but things they can control.

Miami was able to use its physical strength to control the game. Miami All-Star center Bam Adebayo ran roughshod in the absence of Embiid, finishing with 24 points on 8-of-10 shooting with 12 rebound and four assists in 33 minutes.

The 76ers were upset with their play in the third quarter. The Heat surged back into the lead after trailing by one at the half, in part because Philly allowed some misses to get into its head.

"I definitely thought we got the looks we wanted," said Harris, who continued to impress with 27 points on 11-for-18 shooting in 36 minutes. It is a make-or-miss league.

We would take those same looks in the next game. We have to put up the same looks that we may be able to get. We have to make them.

I think that dropped our energy on the defensive end because they didn't fall for us. Hopefully those shots are in the next game.

In 17 minutes, DeAndre Jordan was minus-22. In 13 minutes, backup Paul Reed was productive with four points, nine rebound and four assists, but he also picked up five fouls.

Jordan will start for the 76ers in Game 2 on Wednesday and for as long as Embiid is out, according to Rivers.

We like DJ and we are going to keep starting him. At halftime, we asked our key guys, we were thinking about where they wanted to go, and I thought Paul Millsap gave us decent minutes.

The 76ers feel confident that they can even the series in Game 2 before the series moves to Philadelphia for Games 3 and 4 on Friday and Sunday.

Harden said that it was out of their control, but that they would be great.