Sixers run out of gas, lose 127-117 to Heat in a sloppy Sunday matinee

The Sixers didn’t have enough bodies, enough size, or enough discipline to hang with the Heat on Sunday afternoon. Miami walked into the Wells Fargo Center, pushed the Sixers around, and walked out with a 127-117 win in a game that pretty much exposed every roster flaw the team has when Joel Embiid isn’t there to erase all their sins.

The Heat Bullied the Sixers Physically and Tactically

If you’re wondering how the Heat managed to control this game for long stretches, the answer is simple. The Sixers were tiny. Miami absolutely murdered them on the offensive glass, and Kel’el Ware grabbing seven offensive rebounds in one half felt like some kind of parody.

Philly tried to get away with Dominick Barlow and Jabari Walker at backup center. Predictably, it didn’t work. Every missed assignment turned into a second chance bucket. Every drive forced the small-ball bigs into no-win situations.

Then came the matchup problems. Quentin Grimes had to defend Jamie Jaquez Jr. in the mid-post. That went as badly as you’d expect. Grimes picked up fouls in bunches, which forced the Sixers into lineups where Maxey and McCain ended up switching onto Jaquez. That’s essentially handing Miami two points and a pat on the back.

The only guy who could slow him down was Paul George, but because George is still on a minutes limit, the Sixers eventually had to roll out lineups that didn’t stand a chance.

There’s your game in a few sentences.

Nick Nurse’s Help Defense Gambles Looked Reckless

The Sixers love to talk about being aggressive defensively. Cool. Aggressive does not mean “double team from one pass away and give the other team uncontested threes.” Miami gladly accepted every gift-wrapped look the Sixers offered.

Playing with controlled chaos is one thing. Playing like you’re trying to speedrun defensive mistakes is another. This game leaned way too far into the latter.

Jared McCain Finally Looked Like Himself Again

If there was one positive from this game, it was Jared McCain starting to look like the confident microwave scorer he was drafted to be.

He hit his bump jumper. He hit pull-up threes. He talked trash. He smiled through Miami’s bench after a stoppage. He played 20-plus minutes and looked fully alive for the first time in weeks.

JMAC! pic.twitter.com/jNhn3ySawi

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) November 23, 2025

Did he still miss layups he should finish? Absolutely. But the important part is that he looked decisive again. He wasn’t passive. He wasn’t avoiding shots. He wasn’t overthinking every dribble.

This team desperately needs him to turn the corner, and today was the first real sign that he’s starting to.

Tyrese Maxey Gave the Sixers “Good” Instead of “Great”

Maxey had one of his quieter performances of the season. He wasn’t bad, but he wasn’t the guy who can drag this team to a win without Embiid. He settled early, took too many contested stepbacks, and didn’t put enough pressure on Miami’s defense.

His miracle, end-of-shot-clock three in the first half gave the arena life, and it briefly turned the momentum, but he never truly took over.

https://t.co/IJnbRENyn7 pic.twitter.com/qQSbU37M6Q

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) November 23, 2025

On a normal night, you take his line and move on. On a night where the Sixers were relying on Maxey to be Superman, “pretty good” wasn’t cutting it.

let it fly, @TyreseMaxey pic.twitter.com/6cIUdK6jB9

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) November 23, 2025

Paul George Was OK.

George did exactly what he’s supposed to do. Guard the problem matchup. Make extra passes. Take on the tough possessions. Be the adult on the floor. He played well, but when you hit your minutes restriction, it doesn’t matter how well you played. Once he left the floor, the structural issues returned.

Sixers-Heat Game Notes:

• Andre Drummond continues to do things that make no sense.
• Trendon Watford gave them life with his junkyard scoring around the rim.
• Justin Edwards looks like he’s playing hot potato on offense.
• The Sixers are incapable of executing two-for-one situations.
• Quentin Grimes has to stop arguing calls he very obviously committed.

What’s Next

Nothing about this loss is particularly shocking. Embiid, Edgecombe, and Oubre were all out. The Sixers were short-handed and undersized. The Heat punished them for it. When this team is missing size and veteran bodies, everything falls apart fast.

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