 Battle For Fifth Place It's a Saturday matinee in Miami. Sixers vs. Heat for the right to hold the #5 seed in the East. After the jump we'll take a quick look at the stats, talk briefly about Andre Miller's status and of course have our in-game discussion.  Statistically, you won't find two more evenly-matched teams in this league. They score the same, they allow the same, neither really shoots the three particularly well. The Sixers do a much better job getting to the line, the Heat take better care of the ball. The Sixers own the offensive glass, the Heat have an edge on the defensive glass. Everything I can find online says Miller is still a game-time decision. This article leads you to believe Lou Williams would be his replacement should the calf strain keep him out. Thankfully, there hasn't been definitive word from the team. Here's what I would do. I'm interested to see how Jermaine O'Neal plays for the Heat. Maybe the trade rejuvenated him, maybe not. The first time he was traded this season certainly didn't have that effect. The key to the game, for me, is to take care of the ball. The Heat are not an efficient offensive team, they are, however, a ball-hawking defense. Maybe less-so without Marion, however. Take advantage of Beasley on defense, keep an eye on Cook from three. That's pretty much it. Dwyane Wade is going to score a ton of points, there isn't much you can do to stop that. It'll be interesting to see who they have Miller guarding, if he does start. My money would be on Chalmers. The game starts at 3:30, I'll be right here so if you're watching, join me in the comments. 
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Miller's in the lineup, nice.
I'm so glad to see Miller on the floor.
bob salmi just referred to lebron's game last night as a "double nickel." he is incorrigible.
He must have got it from the SportsCenter anchor then.
And they got it from someone else - it's a pretty common saying i've found for when a guy scores 55
If the heat notice that jermaine o'neal can bitch slap sam at any opportunity - this game won't be close
Oh stop it, you finally got Sam's ball sack out of your mouth, huh? Or you got too full on that crow.
i can't remember ever seeing jermaine o'neal not wearing a headband.
Is anyone besides Thad even awake out there?
Getting owned big time in the early-going.
Willie is just horrible.
Ratliff in for Sammy, and it was based on play, not fouls, I think.
20-10 start, time to wake up.
what the fuck is up with their offense? since the break, someone takes their defender 1-on-1 & ends up jacking a lousy jump shot while the 4 other guys stand around and watch. if shots aren't falling that's fine, but their offense looks like it did under Mo right now.
Right now, Miller's trying to take over.
good timing
Good finish, 6-0 run to cut it to 20-16.
I really don't think this team would be watchable w/out Miller at this point.
Uh-oh, watch out B. I've been called 'disingenuous' for suggesting such concerning Miller.
LOUUUUUU!!!! Please tell me he's breaking out of it.
Brian - i've been missing games due to the classes - is the rebounding just consistently bad these days and i have to accept that this team is going to be bad on the defensive glass?
Thad at the four hurts and Willie on the court hurts. In general, it's been bad and you're probably going to have to live with it until next season when EB returns.
Games when Thad is active on the glass, the Sixers tend to dominate.
Miller comes out and the Heat go on a run.
Speights not looking good against Beasley.
Tie game.
Great. Lou not paying attention in the back court, Wade steals and scores. Wake the f up.
Anyone else find it ironic that the Sixers traded the rights to the guy who won the 3-point shootout for Jason Smith during last year's draft?
haha when he beat rashard lewis, i was like, "uh didn't we draft him?"
The sixers had one of the best 3 point shooters at the time on the roster (who btw, never won the 3 point contest) - billy king didn't know he was getting fired
True, I guess it wasn't as big of a need at the time. Hurts now, though.
at the time though the korver trade made sense. we got rid of a bad contract and it cleared up space to sign brand. if you asked stefanski today i think he'd tell you he'd do the same thing again.
The Korver move was a good move, IMO.
I'm not saying it didn't make sense - i'm saying that lamenting the trade for Smith after the fact ignores that at the time we had korver - so the move made more sense
oh yea i see what you were saying. that's a good point.
lou will find a way to get his fg% for the game back down to around 35%
All tied at the half. A game of runs each way, need to do a better job on the boards in the second half and start hitting a couple of shots.
Looking sluggish to start the third.
Ratliff in for Sammy early again.
0/9 for Willie. Pitiful.
At least he's getting the job done on defense, though. Just fouled Wade on a three-point attempt. Wade is shooting 27% from three, by the way.
It's just sad that He really is the best option to start right now on this team...so damning
I'm not usually on the Willie hate train, but this...
Where is Ivey?
Hopefully we'll see him soon. I'm pretty sure Lou has no plan in mind when he leaves his feet about 50% of the time.
what did i tell you? i believe he was 4-5. now he's 4-12.
Good call. He wasn't this bad last season. Something needs to be done.
36% from the floor, down by 4 heading into the fourth. Lou can't handle Chris Quinn on the ball?
With this lineup, the offense should be running through Speights and Miller, no one else.
If they will just get the lead...!
miami is scoring way too easily
83-82 sixers
Speights and Dalembert get in each others way - that's just stupid
son of a bitch. sp8s and sammy fight for a board and fumble it out of bounds. turns into a dunk and a 4-point deficit.
These soft interior fouls bug the shit out of me. If you're going to foul him, make damn sure he doesn't convert.
your jumper's not falling andre. go to something else for chrissakes.
I think you could insert any name into that sentence and it would be a valid statement.
There we go. Got the lead, now hold it. Speights taking over!
WOW that was an exciting flurry
anybody else's stomach kind of tight after that circus...damn
Even my 4-month old baby is glued to the screen. Come on, gotta pull this one out.
Like father. Like child. That's the way to raise them.
FYI, they've dominated the boards in the second half, only reason they're winning this game right now.
Another and-one. f me.
goddamnit. like you said, if you're going to foul, foul hard.
these teams have played some pretty good games this yr
horrendous call
Questionable block on Speights there. Wade's always going to get that call though. I think DiLeo should be going offense/defense down the stretch, get Ivey in there to defend Wade when you can.
oh a turnover by lou in crunch time. shocking.
Thad should've rotated out there. Ivey should be in the game.
iguodala & green are a combined 4-22
damnit, that three was halfway down. ugh.
That's your ball game.
Maybe not?
quick 2 here right?
Should've been. Stupid.
Dag, why not an early 2 right there.
i'm going to be fucking sick.
A contested 3 for Lou in that situation? Seriously? That's the fucking shot you come up with? God damnit. This team is going to kill me.
Well that blows. I'll have my post game up a little later, thanks for taking part here, guys.
this team is constantly terrible in close games. at some point you have to stop blaming it on youth, and start holding your team leaders responsible.
If you want to boil this one down, Iguodala couldn't defend Wade on those three key possessions. Ivey should've been in the game instead of Lou, but DiLeo wanted Lou's offense in there. It wound up killing us.
dileo's coaching has definitely been more than questionable in all of these losses