Miami Heat earn third signature Eastern Conference win on the road against Sixers

The Miami Heat’s list of quality wins are starting to add up.

On Wednesday, they held on against the Philadelphia 76ers for a 108-104 victory at Wells Fargo Center. They became the first team to win on the Sixers’ home floor this season. It also marked their third victory on the road against a contender in the Eastern Conference. The Heat also have wins at Milwaukee and Toronto.

Rookie guard Kendrick Nunn finished with 26 points and five assists while center Bam Adebayo had 23 points, nine rebounds and five assists. The Heat had five players in double-figures, including Duncan Robinson (15 points), Jimmy Butler (14) and Derrick Jones Jr. (13).

The win helped the Heat atone for a disappointing loss at Memphis two nights ago. Nunn, who recorded his ninth 20-point game of the season, nearly went from hero to scapegoat. He had a chance to put things away but missed two free throws with the Heat holding a four-point lead late. On the next possession, Sixers center Al Horford clanked a go-ahead 3-point attempt before Adebayo sealed it with two free throws.

Here are three takeaways from the game:

Zone makes a difference

The Sixers led by many as 12 in the first half before Heat coach Erik Spoelstra went to a zone defense. By halftime, the Heat had a one-point lead and took control in the third quarter. The Sixers shot just 42 percent and had 13 turnovers.

“So many topics are coming up right now,” Spoelstra told reporters after the game. “We played a ton of zone last year. I think we led the league last year. We didn’t make the playoffs and nobody notices. Now that we win some games, there are narratives and storylines.”

Nunn and Robinson come up big

When these teams met last month, Nunn and Robinson combined to shoot 3 of 16 from the field for 10 points in a 27-point loss. They tallied 41 points in the rematch, with each hitting clutch baskets when the Sixers were trying to rally late. The production was much needed because of an off night from Butler, who was ineffective for most of the second half.

The Jones Jr effect

It won’t show up in the box score but he had a big impact on the outcome. Not only did Jones hit a key 3-pointer late in the fourth, his defense was also vital. His 32 minutes were pivotal with Justise Winslow and Goran Dragic sidelined because of injury. Jones was arguably the Heat's top effort performer of the game.

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