Coming off a 35-point victory in Game 5, the Heat wore down a battered Sixers team. Embiid looked gassed as he gamely tried to carry the Sixers. He had little lift and had a pull-up jumper blocked by Bam Adebayo in the third.
Embiid played 44 mins, Harden 43, Maxey 42. Doc Rivers just wore his team out.
...Harden, a three-time scoring champion, was supposed to shoulder the load with Embiid for a potent postseason push. Harden instead all but disappeared in the playoffs. He had a fantastic Game 4 at home against Miami but otherwise was a turnover machine. When he lost another ball that led to a Heat bucket and an 80-63 lead in the fourth, the Sixers were booed off the court.
Harden scored all of his 11 points in the first half. He had four turnovers and four baskets.
Coach Doc Rivers implored his team to "fight for this!" in the huddle during the fourth. The 76ers just fell flat.
I don't want to give the "Sixers" players an out, there is no excuse for no fight, but as the great Vince Lombardi once said, "fatigue makes cowards of us all," and the "Sixers" were exhausted.
(AP for ESPN)
