Simmons records near triple-double in Sixers' win over Miami

Getting off to a good start in the NBA playoffs is important. The Sixers did just that Saturday night with a 130-103 victory over the Miami Heat. Philadelphia leads the first-round playoff series 1-0.

Sixers forward Ben Simmons lit up the court on Saturday with a near triple-double in Philadelphia. He had 17 points, nine rebounds and 14 assists versus the Heat.

The team was without center Joel Embiid for the game with a facial injury. Embiid led the team in scoring this season at 22.9 points a game and 11 rebounds a contest and will likely be out for game two in Philadelphia with the same injury.

Dario Saric led the Sixers in scoring Saturday with 20 points. Kelly Olynyk led the Heat with 26 points in a losing effort.

The series between the Sixers and Heat resumes Monday night in Philadelphia at 8 p.m. Eastern Time.

The Sixers haven't won an NBA Championship since 1983. Philadelphia ended the 2017-18 regular season as the hottest team in the NBA with 16 straight wins, breaking a 35-year-old record of 14 straight wins set by the Sixers back when Julius Erving and Moses Malone were leading the squad.