How the Miami Heat Can Limit Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey | Miami Heat vs Philadelphia 76ers

How the Miami Heat Can Limit Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey | Miami Heat vs Philadelphia 76ers

Thanks for making lock on heat your first listen every day make sure you’re subscribed on YouTube and on your favorite podcast app I’m West Goldberg NBA media member and editor at allou heat.com joining me as always longtime NBA reporter and a man in the giving spirit it’s David rail if you missed our

Episode breaking down uh our Christmas wish list for every Miami Heat player and for me my wish list that I want selfishly uh you could find that uh in your podcast feed also on YouTube make sure you check that out as we get into the Christmas spirit but we got a big

Game here 8:00 on Christmas day Monday night Miami Heat Philadelphia 76ers uh the Sixers are owners of the League’s best net rating Jolan beid recently named the MVP favorite by ESPN straw pole he scored 51 points the other night he’s averaging more than 35 points a game uh this is the first meeting

Between the two teams right this is a new look 76ers Squad with Tyrese Maxi at the helm Nick coaching them replacing Doc Rivers this team is very good and very much a contender the Miami Heat are finally healthy which is a big deal too um David a lot of interesting things to

Get into with this matchup where do you want to start I think the match up at Center I think that’s obviously the the point to start there uh you know bam bio a player who has historically been able to challenge embiid very well you could probably point to some of embiid’s

Lingering issues uh as far as his injuries are concerned and indicting that kind of might be a factor in why bam has been able to guard him so well but bam uses his physicality very well and I think he’s obviously a great defensive player so I to me that’s the matchup that I’m

Looking for the most is seeing whether or not he can contain and beat and limit him to under 30 points in the game um that’s the most fascinating part of all of this is that bam I don’t know that he’s ever been better and I don’t think that Jolan beid

Has ever been better I think we’re seeing the best seasons from each of these players and they get to play head-to-head like you said bam has usually got the better end of this matchup historically Jolan beid has had some fluky injuries in the playoffs that 76ers fans would be quick to point to

And that’s fair he’s also not performed up to standards in the playoffs either and I think that’s fair also we’re not in the playoffs we’re in the regular season and that’s Jolan be’s time right and Bam is coming off of missing a bunch of games with his hip injury but he says

He’s healthy he is going to be put to work and I actually think that he is going to approach this matchup the same way that he might that he approached the Nika yic matchup in the finals it’s just going to be a lot of work a lot of

Handsy stuff a lot of fronting all that stuff he’s gonna just have to be physical and bothering jol embid I am G to be interested to see how much they front uh with bam atab bio on Joel embid I would imagine quite a bit is probably

Their main thing uh how often do they double how early do they come with the double on embiid he do like to they’re a help they’re they’re a help and show team right so it’s they’re never just leaving anybody on island that’s not their strategy defensively so you’re

Gonna have bam fronting Joel and beid presumably all right well who where’s that second help coming from is it coming from Jimmy Butler on the weak side is it coming from somebody else is it coming from Haywood heith with his length where’s that coming from and if

You are fronting embiid what does that leave open back door Miami’s gotten beat with a few back door Cuts lately if if bam has his hands full with embiid somebody else has got to be patrolling the paint and just alert not allowing those easy back door Cuts right and

Those are all the things we’re talking about here and it starts with embiid uh in the middle so um also how much Zone how much Zone did the heat mix in do they want to use Zone against Joel and beid we’ve seen them use Zone quite a

Bit against the Sixers in the past I think we’ll probably see it again but they have also kind of gotten away from the same frequency of Zone recently uh or this season I should say so I think these are I think that I think the

Answer David is going to be a little bit of all this stuff it’s going to be a little bit of Zone it’s going to be a little bit of early help it’s going to be a lot of fronting it’s going to be all this stuff but because you can’t

Just throw one thing at Jolan be didn’t expect it to work no I think you’re right about that that’s so like you got to keep out of foul trouble I wonder how much of Miami will be able to gain Advantage as far as the home whistle is

Concerned too like I know that’s kind of overstated to a certain degree but you’ve seen this kind of Heat team get caught up in the emotional waves at this but overall I mean it’s such a it’s such a big opportunity for the heat they haven’t really played on Christmas day

In a couple of Seasons not since after the Orlando bubble I think it was the last time they played on Christmas despite their playoff success so how they kind of respond to a late game at home and the during the holiday and and kind of just pick up that emotion and

Everything else like that I like I want the crowd to be there in full force too because I think it’s a huge matchup for for people to be watching as well so it’s going to be interesting to see how all those different factors tie in there

And how they kind of play into Miami’s approach on the floor in terms of their emotional kind of just understanding of the moment you know I I expect spoler to get them ready for this Eric spoler fun fact 8 and0 on Christmas Eric SP oh

Really I kind of wish you didn’t told me that because now like you never want to be the first team you never want to be the first team to lose Eric for ER spol I mean you know he’s never gonna mention that right like there’s no wayes know

This yeah oh somebody’s gonna tell him I I will tell him love you I will let him know um one last thing on the BAM thing Joel and be is having Sensational season the scoring he’s he’s he’s scored more points than he has minutes played this year and that hasn’t happened since 1962

I think I have that year right this is an opportunity for bam if he can limit jool embid on this stage and this is this is this is the NFL Thanksgiving thing this is this is the NBA showcase this is the biggest day of the year for the NBA during the regular

Season inseason tournament uh Martin Luther King uh All-Star Weekend all these things are big deals and big stages for the NBA nothing bigger than their Christmas Day game this is their tent pole stage it’s when a lot of people start paying attention to the NBA right the casuals right David like this

This is when the NBA season starts for a lot of people if bam in a prime time matchup at 8 o’clock Eastern time can slow Joel embid because we know what this conversation the entire broadcast before this game is going to be about how jolen beid is on track to win his

Second MVP in a row and what does this mean for him in the NBA and all this stuff that’s what everything’s going to be that’s what the talk is going to be before this game and if bam can go out there and say hey you’re not looking

Like an MVP against me that can that’s going to further his case to go ahead and win defensive play of the Year this could be a showcase game for bam uh a statement game for bam and so uh if anybody knows that it’s Bam by the way

He’s gonna get up for this one so that I’m very interested to see that absolutely absolutely he just ate up Rudy goar a couple days ago so I think that’s also something to consider uh what did he have against goar oh I’m sorry yeah he had 51 points against Rudy

Goar so if he could keep him under that does that like I mean obviously you know he’s getting to the line a lot 18 free throws that’s why I’m concerned about midrange he hit every mid-range jumper too I mean he’s very good at that mid-range shot he hit all

Of them in that game I I just I he’s never really dominated bam that way maybe this might be the first right it couldn’t you know it’s always it’s always something that you’ve avoided until it you can’t any longer so I don’t know I this is such a great opportunity

For bamama a buo and you’re right like he he does understand these things not necessarily because I want to just get the awards or anything like that although there’s nothing wrong for publicly award I love that he’s out there publicly saying I want the award I love that I love players going after

Individual goals I am not one of these people that you got to put it’s only about winning and it’s only about no no go go get the hardware man you want to be an all-time great Jolan B just talked about this in an interview with ESP he’s

Like I want to I’m okay with it go get your I’m not a fan of it I’m not a fan of I’m not a I love that b wants to be defensive player of the year I love it well that’s because he’s actually the best defender in the league that’s

Different though like I don’t is he is Jolan beid actually the MVP like he I don’t know he’s just a little too acutely aware of the fact that he needs these kinds of awards to be considered an all-time great it’s like right now buddy try getting to the Eastern

Conference Finals before you start talking about your legacy in the NBA that’s totally fair but uh the the point you made about goar who got crushed for 51 points if Bam could not only be better than that because obviously you hope that he doesn’t give up 51 to to

Embiid but do it in a way that makes embiid look human for the first time in a very long time this season and did the thing that gobear couldn’t Bam could Vault from kind of six in sixth place in odds on FanDuel and defensive player to

The favorite overnight by by by the 26 he could be the favorite for Defensive Player of the Year depending on how this game goes so we’ll see how it goes um the other thing though it’s not just Jan beid right the Sixers are a very good

Team outside of Joel and beid and tyres Maxi might win most improved player of the year and if he does quite frankly he’s earned it he’s awesome tyus Maxi is a very good basketball player he’s quick he is fast with the ball in his hands he

Makes big shots when the when the Sixers need it his chemistry with jool embid uh is greater than I think it ever was between jool embid and James Harden they’re playing at a faster pace and I think that has a lot to do with tyres Maxi and the Heat have had problems with

Their point of attack defense containing these guards who are much uh slower and maybe not even as good as Tyrese Maxi um you know but Anthony Edwards is better than Tyrese Maxi we just saw the the Heat’s problem with Anthony Edwards uh last week

So this is going to be a ma this is a matchup issue this one I actually you know what’s funny I feel better about the matchup bam against embiid than I do Miami’s perimeter Defenders against Tyrese Maxi Maxi could be the biggest problem for the heat in this Christmas Day

Game I I wouldn’t be surprised to see kind of some changes to the lineup and maybe hayw would heith start there because you could put him on Maxi I think that’s the comfortable matchup I think that might work out like putting Caleb Martin out there to get roasted

That might be a little bit like and it’s not necessarily a given that he’ll get burnt by by Maxi but you know he had his point of attack defense has been a little off all season long Josh richon not much better you can’t afford to put

Kyle Lowry on there either so I think your best perimeter Defender at this point aside from bamama bio and to some extent maybe Jimmy Butler and you don’t want to get him in foul trouble either is probably going to be Haywood iith right I mean I think he’s a better

Option I don’t I think the default the default setting I’m sorry the default setting for the season for SPO has been Kyle Lowry this year he’s just he’s hey that’s my point guard he’s going to defend the other point guard but I don’t think this is a default setting kind of

Game I really do think that this is I this is a team that understands the moment and the and the stakes and the chance that this could be a statement win for them that propels them for this next part of the season so I’m with you

Again I think it depends on what Miami’s lineup is is it is it do they start Kevin Love for the additional size do they go small with Haywood heith and if they do go Haywood High Smith at Power Forward okay so what is it gonna be Larry hero Jimmy High Smith bam okay

We’ve seen that lineup before that could work um High Smith on Maxi hero I think you hide him on DeAnthony Melton you could put Kyle Lowry on like Kelly UB I don’t think you’re very much worried about that Kell UB will like stand in the corner and shoot threes I

Think that’s okay Jimmy Butler on Tobias Harris over me get that little fun match up and then obviously bam on embiid I think that’s it I think that’s I think that’s it the starting lineup I wouldn’t be surprised to see that at all you broke that down as far as a match

Up’s concerned pretty well and of course you know look you you want you want High Smith out there because I you know he is a little bit stronger and maybe he’ll he’ll be switched on to embiid on occasions there I could see them having those pick and roll situations there so

I I mean given his strength and his length like he played in Philadelphia too so he’s familiar with MB to an extent I wonder how much that’ll be a factor yeah I I think we’ll see Haywood’s starting and I think we could see him guarding and beat on occasions

He grades out as Miami’s Best isolation Defender also even over Jimmy Butler and Caleb Martin um this season so if Maxi does kind of get him on an island you feel pretty good with that uh but the the point that you made about hey like

Go ahead and try to switch it we’re okay at least showing Haywood heith on Joel embiid before Bam gets a chance to rotate back um I think that’s fine I think that’s okay um yeah I think that’s it who guardes Jimmy Butler on the Sixers let’s flip this I don’t it’s not

Tobias Harris it’s not it’s UB it’s got to be UB well does Jimmy Butler get the first 50 point Burger of the the season then for Miami I do like that match up for for Jimmy I think he he can do he he’ll bait him into foul trouble you

Know that’s that’s just who Jimmy is uh he could probably get past him on the initial wave of Defense there look for that mid-range jumper I think you could screen UB out of plays there and if you’re caught you know matched up against embiid I I could see a lot of

Pick and roll between him and Bam try and get Joel into foul trouble too like you know you’re going to get your shot blocked but I think Jimmy he’s got a little bit of a psychological Edge there that he likes to use against embiid and I could see him definitely

Playing that to his Advantage too so I I’m curious it’s it’s gonna be a lot of interesting cross matches across the board the benefit of even having high Smith on Maxi too is on the other end if Maxi has to guard heith you can bring High Smith up set those screens we’ve

Seen him set screens run dribble handoff stuff like that uh if you run that dribble handoff with somebody like Jimmy or or Tyler hero or or Duncan Robinson even I think those guys are they’re bigger than Tyrese Maxi that could potentially be a mismatch especially if it’s Jimmy Butler so that could be

Something there too one other thing that I’m looking at just a couple of other notes that I have here uh Philadelphia has the number one bench in the NBA they have the number one bench they’re outscoring opponents by plus 4.1 Miami is 16 they W on Christmas yeah they won

On Christmas I could see that I don’t think that’s gonna happen on Christmas well that means Miami’s bench has to step up because they have a net rating of 0.0 this year but they’re healthy for first time in a long time too and I think that’s very important that’s a

Different that’s a different you know animal I think you’re going to get you know Hae hak on Christmas day you’re gonna get Duncan Robinson coming off the bench now like those players can all Thrive there the the backup center is also though who who’s kind of steps up

As it Kevin Love I would imagine that it is going against a physical Paul Reed I don’t know if that’s great match really really I yeah I like making Paul Reed step out force him to defend in space bace conversely though he can’t handle like

He’s going to give up some dunks to Paul Reed okay if Paul Reed beats you tip your cat man like I like Paul re fine uh I’m okay with a couple of Paul Reed dunks I can live with that um it’s gonna be a awesome game I think it’s G to be

Like a playoff type atmosphere I love that the heat are playing on Christmas um you you don’t you don’t have kids that’s what it is true we we talked about this before um yeah yeah I understand it makes more work for us but it’s cool that they’re being respected

In this way I mean they did make the finals and basically guaranteed a spot on Christmas if you make the finals the year before but not always not always but yeah you’re right not always is that true no no you’re right no I guess you’re right it did Happ it was the

Orlando bubble so it’s a little different so they played on Christmas but that was also like the season had just started too so it was like a very unusual that whole that whole two-year span was a crazy time for everybody uh we’ll see what happens of course we

Will have our postgame show for you after the Heat play the 76ers for now thanks for making lock on heat your first listen every day hit that subscribe button on YouTube follow us on your favorite podcast app if you’re traveling for the holiday safe travels out there again uh please if you can

Give us a nice holiday gift for locked on heat like subscribe on YouTube download the the the shows on your podcast app leave us a festar rating and review on Apple podcast or Spotify that stuff really does go a long way for now happy holidays everybody Merry Christmas Merry Christmas

The Miami Heat host the Philadelphia 76ers on Christmas night. The 76ers are rolling with the league’s best net rating, Joel Embiid is the MVP favorite and just put up 51 points the other night and is averaging 35.1 points per game. This is Miami’s first encounter with the new-look 76ers this season with Tyrese Maxey in place of James Harden and Nick Nurse replacing Doc Rivers as coach. How can the Heat limit Embiid? Is he even their biggest problem?

Wes Goldberg and David Ramil break down the prime-time matchup.

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