PHILADELPHIA (AP) Jimmy Butler knocked Joel Embiid out of the playoffs, then walked over to his former 76ers teammate and hugged him, instructed him he cherished him and was pleased with him.
Butler then headed out of a well-recognized courtroom a winner – and straight into one other convention finals with Miami.
”Now I am the place I belong,” Butler mentioned. ”Guess the place I ought to have been a very long time in the past.”
Butler scored 32 factors and waved ”bye bye” to the Philly crowd as he despatched Miami into the Japanese Convention finals with a 99-90 victory over Philadelphia on Thursday evening in Recreation 6.
The Warmth will play the winner of the Milwaukee-Boston collection. The defending champion Bucks lead that collection 3-2, with Recreation 6 on Friday evening in Milwaukee.
The Warmth reached the convention finals for the second time in three seasons, once more with Butler main the cost. Philly followers – and plenty of contained in the 76ers group – nonetheless cannot imagine the franchise let Butler get away after the 2019 season. He didn’t fiddle and scored 14 factors on 6-of-9 taking pictures within the third quarter when the Warmth used a 16-2 run to take management. Butler scored 33 factors in Recreation 3 and 40 in Recreation 4 and took 29 photographs in Recreation 6.
”I believe he is one of many final rivals on this career,” coach Erik Spoelstra mentioned. ”He was good all collection lengthy. The challenges solely get more durable right here. He noticed there was a possibility to finish this tonight and he wasn’t going to let this get to seven.”
Embiid, the NBA scoring champion, had no important assist and scored 20 factors with 12 rebounds on 7-of-24 taking pictures.
”I do know I attempted. I believe for probably the most half, we tried,” Embiid mentioned. ”It simply wasn’t ok.”
Embiid remained to today befuddled and damage that the Sixers handed on Butler after forming a trio with Ben Simmons that – egos apart – might have contended for championships for years.
”I nonetheless do not understand how we let him go,” Embiid mentioned. ”I want I might have gone to battle with him nonetheless.”
Coming off a 35-point victory in Recreation 5, the Warmth wore down a battered Sixers crew. Embiid appeared gassed as he gamely tried to hold the Sixers. He had little carry and had a pull-up jumper blocked by Bam Adebayo within the third.
The Sixers parted with Butler largely as a result of they selected Simmons because the cornerstone ball handler. Simmons was sad and compelled a commerce this season to Brooklyn for James Harden. Harden, a three-time scoring champion, was purported to shoulder the load with Embiid for a potent postseason push. Harden as a substitute all however disappeared within the playoffs. He had a incredible Recreation 4 at house towards Miami however in any other case was a turnover machine. When he misplaced one other ball that led to a Warmth bucket and an 80-63 lead within the fourth, the Sixers had been booed off the courtroom.
Harden scored all of his 11 factors within the first half. He had 4 turnovers and 4 baskets. Harden, who has a $47.4 million participant possibility for 2022-23, missed each photographs within the second half and scored his final basket on the 3:31 mark of the second quarter.
Few in Philly would give The Beard a passing grade. Harden mentioned he would return subsequent season.
”I am positive since we obtained him, all people anticipated the Houston James Harden,” Embiid mentioned. ”However that is not who he’s anymore.”
Coach Doc Rivers implored his crew to ”struggle for this!” within the huddle through the fourth. The 76ers simply fell flat.
”I got here to the conclusion on the finish of this sport that we weren’t ok to beat Miami,” Rivers mentioned.
Rivers is signed by means of the 2024-25 season and one other early exit – the 76ers had been the No. 1 seed final 12 months and misplaced within the second spherical – and his job standing is a scorching subject of dialog.
”I do not fear about my job. I believe I do a terrific job. In case you do not, then you need to write it,” Rivers mentioned. ”As a result of I labored my butt off to get this crew right here. Once I first obtained right here, nobody picked us to be wherever. Once more this 12 months, the identical factor. If that is how anybody feels, write it. I’ll really feel safe about it.”
Max Strus had 20 factors and 11 rebounds for the Warmth. Even one other abysmal evening from 3-point vary – Miami missed 21 of 28 makes an attempt — did not matter.
Embiid once more gutted out a postseason sport in his masks (proper orbital fracture) and may have surgical procedure on torn ligaments in his proper thumb. He was solely cleared to return final week from a concussion. He held the again of his head after he knocked it on the courtroom after a fall late within the second quarter. Embiid nonetheless performed 22 minutes within the first half and scored 14 factors.
”Joel, my man. My brother. Who I might choose for MVP,” Butler mentioned. ”It feels good to beat him. I am not going to mislead you. I’ve obtained plenty of love for this metropolis. Loads of love for guys in that locker room. So any time you get to beat a former crew, it is particular.”
Embiid missed the primary two video games of the collection as he recovered from the concussion. The Sixers misplaced each video games in Miami. Would a wholesome Embiid have made a distinction? Possibly not however it’s nonetheless one other sudden finish to the All-Star cornerstone who has but to style a convention closing. Possibly he would have performed in a single or two had Butler caught round.
”Sooner or later, you have to cease taking a look at coaches and the entrance workplace,” Embiid mentioned. ”You have to have a look at the gamers. Possibly we’re simply not ok.”
Embiid nonetheless seems to be on the one which left him for Miami. Carrying black sun shades and a black bucket cap, Butler mentioned no onerous emotions, the NBA is a enterprise.
”It did not work out,” Butler mentioned. ”I am not complaining. I like being in Miami.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Warmth: Kyle Lowry sat out once more along with his left hamstring damage. He paced the Warmth sideline like a coach and referred to as over his teammates throughout free throws and different breaks in motion to speak technique.
76ers: Danny Inexperienced left within the first quarter with a severe left knee damage. Embiid went up for a bucket and crashed on Inexperienced as they tumbled to the courtroom. Inexperienced, who averaged 5.9 factors this season, grabbed his leg and was carried off the courtroom.
TIP-INS
Warmth: Are 7-1 in closeout Recreation 6s since 2006. … Received their thirtieth profession playoff collection.
76ers: Haven’t superior previous the second spherical since 2001.
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