Dwyane Wade has become the Heat's go-to player in the clutch.
Sixers coach Doug Collins moved Andre Iguodala on Wade in the final minutes of Game 1 on Saturday, while putting guard Jrue Holiday on LeBron James to try to keep James on the perimeter and then have the Sixers big men rotate over in the event he got the ball and tried to drive to the rim.
Wade scored five of the Heat's final seven points, and the Sixers missed several opportunities to stay in the game.
Despite the 97-89 loss, the Sixers walked away thinking they had found their best defensive matchup.
"We felt that you need a quick guy in front of LeBron so that he's not handling it and attacking the rim," Elton Brand said Sunday after the Sixers had a two-hour practice at AmericanAirlines Arena. "In the post, you can double him more than outside, being that he's a bigger guy. With Jrue, he's a big on-the-ball defender. He can keep him out on the perimeter, and if LeBron goes to the post, we're there to help.
"As great a player as [James] is, he's not in the post getting the bulk of his points, so it's sort of unfamiliar to him. I'm sure he works on all aspects of his game, but that's not the strong suit of his game thus far."