The Philadelphia 76ers and the Miami Heat are considered two of the dark horse teams to win the title.

But before everything else, they might have to duel with one another to determine who will come out of the East. If ever a series between the two teams take place, Stan Van Gundy — a former coach of the Heat — believes that the Sixers have the edge.

Speaking with the Miami Herald, Van Gundy believes that the Sixers would beat the Heat in a playoff series. Van Gundy is well aware of the Heat's talent which is being guided by head coach Erik Spoelstra. But in his opinion, the Sixers are at the same level as the Raptors, Celtics, and the Bucks.

“I would favor them [the 76ers] in a series but Miami plays so fearlessly. If they can shoot the ball well, I don’t know what could happen,” Van Gundy said.

“I love watching Miami. They play with incredible energy. They play with great confidence, which is something that Erik has always been able to instill in his players, even young guys. They play fearlessly. They’re a threat against anybody. Them and Philadelphia would be a hell of a series. Obviously, they beat Philly three out of four during the year. I would put [Philadelphia] at the level of Toronto and Boston, in the same group as threats to Milwaukee. Their lineup is just so good.”

Whether Van Gundy's prediction turns out to be true is a matter of wait-and-see. But as he mentioned, if ever these the Sixers and Heat meet, it's sure going to be one hell of a series.