Philadelphia 76ers: To Prove Legitimacy, Sixers Must Take Down Miami Heat
The Philadelphia 76ers have taken down a number of elite teams this season, many of whom reside in the Eastern Conference.
After jumping out to a fast start this January, critics were quick to point out that the Sixers impressive record was due mainly in part to a schedule front-loaded with inadequate competition.
But hey, you can only play who's on the schedule.
So when February rolled around, the Sixers were ready to prove that they possessed the talent and cohesion necessary to compete in a dangerous Eastern Conference.
Lofty victories over the Orlando Magic, Chicago Bulls and Atlanta Hawks were all followed up by a surprising home win over the Los Angeles Lakers, a squad that Sixers are notoriously poor against.
More recently, the Sixers have proven that they are the team to beat in the Atlantic division, notching wins over the Boston Celtics and New York Knicks by a combined 44 points.
Although all of these wins have been great for a young team always in search of a confidence boost, but they still have one more hurdle to clear.
The Sixers have matched up with the Miami Heat twice this season, losing both contests by a combined 41 points.
While the Sixers did show that they were capable of packing a punch last postseason, they only scored one victory in their opening round series with the Heat.
Thanks to Evan Turner, the Sixers have developed a newfound scoring ability, attacking the basket and crashing the boards far more aggressively than they had previously.
Turner has provided an immediate spark, averaging 22 points and 12 rebounds per game since entering the starting lineup a week ago.
With Turner now a mainstay in the starting lineup, the Sixers would appear to be much more capable of matching up with the Heat.
Jrue Holiday is more than capable of guarding Mario Chalmers, and while Elton Brand is outmatched by Chris Bosh's athleticism, Andre Iguodala can help neutralize MVP front-runner LeBron James to ease some of the pain.
Turner guarded Heat superstar Dwyane Wade several times last postseason, but he had his hands full. The hope is that given his recent streak of confidence Turner will prove capable of containing Wade, because stopping him altogether will be too difficult.
More than anything, Turner gives the Sixers a more playoff-ready lineup that possess another strong wing player, one who is capable of guarding elite shooting guards the way Jodie Meeks could not.
