Heat pull away for series-opening win against 76ers

TYLER HERRO scored 25 points, Bam Adebayo added 24 points and 12 rebounds and the host Miami Heat defeated the Philadelphia 76ers 106-92 in Game 1 of an Eastern Conference semifinal series on Monday.

Miami’s Jimmy Butler contributed 15 points and nine rebounds, while P.J. Tucker and Gabe Vincent had 10 points apiece. Kyle Lowry sat out due to a strained left hamstring.

The 76ers played without Most Valuable Player candidate Joel Embiid, who is in the concussion protocol and also is dealing with an orbital fracture and a torn ligament in his right thumb.

Tobias Harris led Philadelphia with 27 points, and Tyrese Maxey added 19. James Harden had 16 points and nine rebounds.

Game 2 of the best-of-seven series will be played Wednesday in Miami.

The Heat led by 14 points in the first quarter and by 13 in the second before the 76ers rallied. Consecutive layups from Maxey and Harden gave Philadelphia a 51-50 advantage and that wound up being the score at half time.

Herro and Adebayo each had 12 first-half points for the Heat, who managed only two points in the final 4:39 of the second period.

Harris paced the Sixers with 14 before the break, and Harden had 12.

After the Sixers went ahead 55-50, the Heat came back with a 20-6 run to take a 70-61 lead midway through the third.

Harris ended the run with a trey from the wing and added a short jumper to close the gap to 70-66.

The Heat led 80-72 at the end of the third.

Miami’s Victor Oladipo opened the fourth with a difficult runner in the lane.

After Philadelphia’s Paul Reed missed from point-blank range, Herro dropped in a 31-foot 3-pointer for an 85-72 advantage.

The Heat’s lead ballooned to 98-77 after Max Strus threw down a dunk with 6:15 left. Philadelphia went nearly five minutes without a field goal while Miami extended its advantage.

The Heat cruised to the victory in the final minutes as both teams emptied their benches. — Reuters