NBA: Without Harden the Sixers are not as fierce as they are painted… quite the opposite of the Heat

ABefore the season began, the NBA published the survey among the general managers of the 30 franchises in the league with their forecasts for the course that was about to begin. A pool that, at the moment, does not look like it will even reach 11 hits after seeing how the experts forgot about the Miami Heat among the favorites for the ring. A team that was not even given a chance to enter the finals of a conference that today they dominate with an iron fist.

More after the last two victories of Spoelstra’s team, never well considered, against the two great favorites from the East. They first scuttled Kevin Durant’s return after a 21-game absence and showed that it still takes more than a collection of stars to make a team with aspirations.

A maxim that they demonstrated again against the Sixers in a game in which the Florida team showed depth, solvency and defensive capacity. Three key ingredients to succeed in the playoffs and that make the South Beach team a lethal rival. A team that makes defense its greatest virtue and that took the opportunity to lower the Philadelphia franchise from the cloud, which in its first game without James Harden was shipwrecked in attack in one of its worst games of the season: 34% in shots from field and just 17% from the triple after a poor 7 of 41. Too many mistakes against a team that does not forgive mistakes and knows how to punish those who do not value them enough.

The Minnesota Timberwolves are starting to really believe they can make the playoffs this season. An unusual territory for them, but one that is within their reach. Especially if they maintain their offensive level (the best in the NBA so far in 2022) that allowed them to beat the Portland Trail Blazers (135-121) thanks to a huge Karl Anthony Towns. The center finished with 36 points (13 of 17 shooting), 15 rebounds and 5 assists, being the first player since Tim Duncan to sign those numbers with a 75% shooting success rate.

The Memphis Grizzlies have taken advantage of the losing streak of the Golden State Warriors and are already second in the West, behind the Phoenix Suns, after beating the Orlando Magic who are bottom of the East without any problem. A victory accompanied by a new demonstration of power by Desmond Bane, who finished with 24 points and six rebounds, showing that this team, whose ceiling is not guessed, is much more than Ja Morant.

The Golden State Warriors have gone from dominating the NBA to going through one of the worst crises of the season in just a few weeks. The Californian team has lost four in a row after losing to the Lakers (124-116) and has fallen to third place in the West, after the overtaking of some Grizzlies on the rise. Not even Curry’s 30 points are capable of illuminating a team that has fallen into darkness without the Draymond Green factor.