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.

The reality is that they are closer to Chicago, Orlando and Atlanta than you surmise, meaning it will require the Heat to be at the top of their game to make the playoffs, something closer to that six-game winning streak.