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It's a battle of top teams in the Eastern Conference as the Miami Heat travel north to take on the Philadelphia 76ers. It's time to continue our NBA odds series with a Heat-76ers prediction and pick.
The Heat is coming off a 120-108 at the FTX Arena in South Florida. Miami officially clinched the Southeast division and has designs on the top seed in the Eastern Conference. Bam Adebayo scored 19 points on 8 for 10 shooting from the field. Duncan Robinson had 19 points on 7 for 10 shooting, including 5 for 8 from the 3-point line. Kyle Lowry contributed 16 points on 6 for 9 shooting, going 4 for 7 from beyond the arc. But the hero of the game was Tyler Herro. He scored 26 points on 9 for 13 shooting, pulling down seven rebounds with four assists. Herro also hit all six of his free throws before he left the game after rolling his ankle. Miami is on a two-game winning streak and has gone 7-3 over ten games.
The 76ers fell to the Toronto Raptors 93-88 at home last night. Joel Embiid scored 21 points on 6 for 20 shooting and did not make any of his 3-point attempts. James Harden also struggled. He scored 17 points on 5 for 12 shooting, not making any of his four 3-point shots. He also turned the ball over six times. Tyrese Maxey did well in defeat, scoring 19 points on 8 for 14 shooting, including 2 for 4 from the triples. The 76ers lost the rebound battle 56-40, which would prove to be the difference. Philadelphia has gone 1-3 in their last four home games as they prepare to host the Heat in a Monday night showdown.
Courtesy of FanDuel, here are the Heat-76ers odds:
NBA Odds: Heat-76ers Odds
Heat: -1.5 (-110)
76ers: +1.5 (-110)
Over: 215 (-110)
Under: 215 (-110)
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Why The Heat Could Cover The Spread
The Heat is the best team in the Eastern Conference and has consistently executed all season long. They come into this matchup with a three-game lead over the Milwaukee Bucks for the top seed with 11 games left to play, needing a few more wins to guarantee home-court advantage throughout the playoffs. Additionally, they have played well against Philadelphia this season.
Miami has won two of three against the Sixers. Their last battle was a few short weeks ago in a dominating win at home. The Heat won 99-82 behind consistent scoring and solid defense. Jimmy Butler scored 21 points on 6 for 15 shooting. While Butler has recovered from an injury, he is day-to-day and questionable to play in today's game. Herro added 21 points on 9 for 16 shooting and grabbed seven boards. Gabe Vincent added 16 points on 6 for 8 shooting, including 4 for 6 from the 3-point line. However, Vincent will not play against Philadelphia as he has a big toe contusion. The biggest reason they have done well against the 76ers is due to how they have played against Embiid.
Embiid scored 22 points on just 4 for 15 shooting, missing all six of his 3-point shots. The Heat forced him to shoot multiple free throws as he converted all 14 of his attempts in that game. By not allowing Embiid to get into a rhythm, the Heat was able to control the pace and limited his opportunities. In their other win over the 76ers, Miami held Embiid to 17 points on 5 for 13 shooting.
Herro is the Heat's leading scorer, averaging 21.1 points per game. Adebayo is pulling down 10.3 rebounds per game, and Lowry has averaged 7.7 assists per game. The Heat will cover the spread if they can stop Embiid as they did in their two wins and convert their opportunities.
Why The 76ers Could Cover The Spread
In their lone win against the Heat, they controlled the tempo. Embiid scored 32 points on 12 for 22 shooting and grabbed 12 rebounds. Additionally, Tobias Harris and Seth Curry contributed to the scoring pot. Harris had 22 points on 9 for 13 shooting. Curry had 21 points, shooting 8 for 15 from the field, including 5 for 9 from triples. Furthermore, the 76ers clamped down on defense.
They held Miami to 38.4 percent shooting and only 25.7 percent from the triples. Defense is an area where the 76ers excel in, as they are sixth in the NBA at blocked shots. They also control the turnover battle, ranking second in the league. It helps that Victor Oladipo will be unavailable for the Heat as he recovers from lower back spasms.
Philadelphia will cover the spread if they can get Embiid help, solidify their defense and win the turnover battle. James Harden will be a determining factor in the results, and if he can get going, the 76ers will cover.
Final Heat-76ers Prediction & Pick
This will be the game of the day. The 76ers have struggled at home lately. Philadelphia is 3-5 in the tail-end of back-to-back games. Despite that, one of their wins was a road victory over the Miami Heat. With seeding on the line, the 76ers will showcase their abilities and steal one from the Heat, evening up the season series.
Final Heat-76ers Prediction & Pick: 76ers +1.5
