David Murphy: Tough? Gritty? Perseverant? Who are these Sixers? A real team with a real problem: the Knicks.

PHILADELPHIA — They were who we thought they were. Until they weren’t. The only conclusion left is they aren’t.

They aren’t the team that wouldn’t dunk against the Atlanta Hawks, that couldn’t shoot against the Boston Celtics. They aren’t the team that barely bothered to tie its shoes for Game 7 at TD Garden. Their point guard no longer shows up to press conferences dressed in coats that look like they were handwoven from the pelt of the Cookie Monster. Tyrese Maxey is technically playing for a contract, but he sure doesn’t carry himself like a guy who desperately needs a hug.

The Sixers are likable, believe it or not. If you don’t believe it, you may not be all that likable yourself. Not now, at least. Not after watching them on Wednesday night. In a 105-104 win over the Miami Heat that earned them a playoff series against the New York Knicks, the Sixers were everything they haven’t been in previous must-win games.

Tougher than a $10.99 T-Bone. Grittier than an orange fur ball on skates. Stronger than a bottle of bathtub hooch. Lord, forgive me for my similes. This Sixers team is analogous to none.

“We’ve been through a lot of ups and downs and highs and lows,” forward Kelly Oubre said after the Sixers picked themselves up off the canvas and outscored Miami 66-53 in the second half. “Now it’s time for us to come out on top of all of that.”

It’s a funny concept to consider.

To Oubre, a game of this magnitude means it is the Sixers’ time to shine. To the rest of us, it means it is time to watch the 11 o’clock news on mute and contemplate the emptiness of our lives. The real suspense is how long the bottle of whiskey will last. If it doesn’t, maybe it is for the better, as long as the sleep comes fast.

That’s what you were thinking, wasn’t it?

It’s OK to admit it. In order to unbind our trauma, we must first see the chains. By the end of the second quarter, the Sixers were down 12 points and making a convincing case that they were the same as they ever were. Twelve turnovers, 3 for 18 from 3-point range. Missing gym-class layups, throwing kick-out passes to the courtside seats. The biggest game of the season, and they came out looking like they’d just walked out of a dentists office with a mouthful of Novocain. They couldn’t stop dribbling on their feet.

You thought they were done.

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