2018 NBA Playoffs: One Big Takeaway from the First 2 Games of Each Playoff series

#3 The 76ers need Joel Embiid back as soon as possible

The Heat have proved to be a tough nut to crack for Ben Simmons and co

The 76ers won game 1 relatively comfortably, with most of their shots going in from downtown and Ben Simmons playing with a swagger we've only seen all-time greats display in their rookie season. Father Prime Dwyane Wade, however, rolled the clock back to bring the high-flying Sixers crashing back into reality.

With 28 points on 16 field goal attempts, Wade powered a floundering Heat offense to a game 2 win by the handy margin of 10 points. Ben Simmons had a pretty good performance in this game with 24 points, 9 rebounds and 8 assists, but the physicality of the Heat defense, who were basically packing up the paint to prevent him from getting easy layups made it tough for him to impact the game as he usually does.

This series does not have a featured scorer thus far, and the Heat are as good at hustling their way to wins as any basketball team on the planet. Thus, the Sixers need Joel Embiid back at nearly his best if they are to win the series handily.

Embiid himself has voiced his frustration at being treated 'like a baby', and the Sixers will hope that he comes back fully fit and firing in Game 3. It could turn out to be an uncharacteristically long series, otherwise.