Sixers stick to tanking script in 117-105 loss to Miami Heat, their 12th straight defeat

MIAMI — We know what the 76ers are doing these days. It’s obvious, even though they won’t publicly acknowledge it.

Perhaps they don’t want to get fined for holding out players like the Utah Jazz did. But the Sixers were once again without nine regular rotation players Monday night against the Miami Heat.

Would a few of those players listed as injured suit up if the squad was a playoff qualifier looking for a better seed?

Since they’re not remotely close, the Sixers have resorted to a full-blown tank job — highlighted by resting rotation players — even though they’re not admitting it publicly.

Regardless of what tactic the Sixers will admit to, folks will agree that they picked up another much-needed loss. Their 117-105 setback to the Heat at the Kasaya Center on Monday dropped them to 23-56.

The Sixers received solid efforts from Quentin Grimes, Lonnie Walker IV, and Adem Bona.

Grimes finished with 29 points, eight rebounds, and six assists. Walker had 29 points while making 6 of 13 three-pointers. And Bona had 16 points, 11 rebounds, and three blocks.

But the trio didn’t prevent the Sixers from their 12th straight loss and 29th in 33 games. The Heat (36-43) went on a 19-5 run to take a 104-91 lead with 4 minutes, 22 seconds remaining to put the game somewhat out of reach.

» READ MORE: Laugh at the makeshift Sixers’ struggles if you like. Just know they’re living their best lives.

Miami also benefited from Duncan Robinson’s sharpshooting. The forward scored 21 points off the bench on 7-for-8 shooting, including making 5 of 6 three-pointers. Twelve of his points came in the fourth quarter.

The setback gave the Sixers a 2½-game cushion over the Brooklyn Nets for the league’s fifth-worst record with three games remaining. And they’re 1½ games behind the New Orleans Pelicans, who have the fourth-worst mark.

That’s important because the Sixers are trying to keep their first-round pick, which is top-six protected.

They’ll have a 63.9% chance of keeping the pick by finishing the season with the fifth-worst record. Their odds will increase to 81% with the fourth-worst mark.

On Monday, the Sixers unveiled their NBA record-extending 53rd starting lineup: Walker, Grimes, Bona, Marcus Bagley, and Jared Butler.

Bona, a rookie second-round pick, was the only starter on the team before February. The Sixers acquired Grimes in trade from the Dallas Mavericks on Feb. 4. Two days later, they acquired Butler via a trade from the Washington Wizards.

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Walker, a Reading native, came to the Sixers on Feb. 21 after agreeing to a buyout of his contract with Lithuania’s Basketball Club Žalgiris. And Bagley signed his second 10-day contract with the team on Saturday. His first one expired on Wednesday.

Kyle Lowry, Ricky Council IV, 10-day contract addition Colin Castleton, and two-way players Jalen Hood-Schifino and Alex Reese were the other available Sixers.

“We’re here tonight in the last week of the season, just trying to work with these young guys, keep them playing, prepare them, try to keep them playing hard and try to get them better,” coach Nick Nurse said.

The Heat, however, were also without key players.

Bam Adebayo (left back spasms), Andrew Wiggins (right hamstring tendinopathy), Nikola Jovic (broken right hand), Isaiah Stevens (right foot discomfort), Dru Smith (left Achilles surgery), and Kevin Love (personal reasons) were sidelined.

But the Heat still had a talent advantage in Robinson, All-Star Tyler Herro, and rookie center Kel’el Ware.

Herro finished with 20 points, while Ware had 19 points, 17 rebounds, one steal, and a block.

With those three leading the way, Miami shot 63.6% in the fourth quarter – including making 5 of 10 three-pointers. That led to the Heat outscoring the Sixers, 34-22, in the quarter.

» READ MORE: The Big Three couldn’t stay healthy. Warnings signs were there for the Sixers since preseason.

“I feel like we are in every game, just about four, five minutes left in the fourth quarter,” Grimes said. “That’s when the depth kind of comes into play with other teams. The experience comes into play with other teams.

“We’ve got [two] guys on 10-day [contracts] right now. We are trying to get them acclimated with what we do. It’s tough, but we are fighting every game. No game has been easy with the teams that we are playing. So I feel that’s a good thing to hang our hat on for sure, knowing that we’re not getting blown out.”

The Sixers will travel to Washington to face the Wizards on Wednesday at Capital One Arena. Washington has the league’s second-worst record at 17-61.

The teams split this season’s previous two meetings, with Washington prevailing, 119-114, on March 26 in Philly.