The 76ers haven’t looked like a championship contender much of this season. Being “soft” won’t bring them any closer.

Following a 137-106 loss in Miami Monday night — in which the 76ers surrendered 81 points in the second half — Ben Simmons knew exactly why Philadelphia suffered its third straight road loss.

“We were soft,” Simmons said. “Soft is don’t get bullied, fight over screens, get through screens. You’ve gotta knock somebody, knock ‘em over. You’ve gotta hit somebody in the face and knock ‘em down, make sure they don’t score, hit ‘em in the face.

“The physicality side of things, we’ve gotta step that up. That comes with experience. It also just comes with personality — guys just gotta step up and be more physical.”

Veteran Mike Scott agreed with the young star guard.

“Played soft tonight, yep,” Scott said.

What can the team do to change that?

“Not be soft,” Scott said.

After losing a heartbreaking Game 7 to the eventual NBA champion Raptors last season in the second round of the playoffs, the 76ers (31-20) are currently in sixth place in the Eastern Conference.