Subscribe
Follow Us
The Philadelphia 76ers are still very much in their round two series against the Miami Heat. After going 0-2 the first two games, the Sixers earned a Game 3 win with the heroics of Joel Embiid.
The center put up 18 points, 11 rebounds, and one assist, along with a remarkable defensive outing in the win. This was all despite a torn ligament in his right thumb and a right orbital fracture.
Many other players stepped up big time for Philadelphia including Danny Green and Tyrese Maxey. Their clutch buckets sealed the Sixers' win Friday night.
Now, Philadelphia is 1-2 heading into Game 4, the team's second home game of the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Will the Sixers take their second win to tie the series, or will they fall flat and go down 3-1?
Here are our three boldest predictions for the Sixers in Game 4 against the Heat.
Watch the Sixers/Heat series and all NBA games LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)
Sixers 3 Bold Predictions for Game 4 vs. Heat
3. Harden makes the hard adjustments
James Harden was undoubtedly more productive in Game 3 than he has been the rest of the series. He showed a lot more energy, driving the basket and drawing fouls. The Beard put up 17 points, eight rebounds, and six assists in the win, finishing the night +27.
While most of his Game 3 stats were in the green, Harden also made a lot of mistakes. He recorded seven turnovers, the most he's given up in his time with Philadelphia. At this point in the postseason, seven turnovers from one player are completely unacceptable.
Of course, it's difficult to expect a player to be perfect, especially one who handles the ball so often. However, you can expect Harden to be a lot smarter with his possessions in Game 4. He'll learn from his Game 3 mistakes, make the adjustments, and record two turnovers or less on Sunday.
Click here for our Risk Free $1000 Bet!
*To claim, new users need to register, make a first deposit, and then simply place their first real-money wager on FanDuel Sportsbook up to $1000! If a user loses their first wager, we’ll refund their losses in the form of a free bet up to $1000!*
Article Continues Below
2. A much more efficient performance
A win is a win. However, the Sixers' Game 3 win wasn't the cleanest. There were a lot of mistakes made throughout the night, and Philadelphia ended up with 18 turnovers as a result.
Many things played a factor in the Sixers' off night. For one, the team was readjusting after playing without Embiid for two games. Not to mention, the man was playing with a protective mask over his face, so his vision was undoubtedly impaired to some degree.
Masked Embiid has returned. pic.twitter.com/qRwAc3pYOT
— ESPN (@espn) May 6, 2022
For Game 4, expect the Sixers to have much better footing.
1. Not an easy win
While Game 3 allowed Philadelphia to regroup as a cohesive team, it doesn't mean that the rest of the series is smooth sailing. The Heat played horribly Friday night, which is the main reason why the Sixers were able to pull off the messy win.
The series is only going to get more intense from here on out. Because of their embarrassing outing, Miami is going to work harder than ever to match Philadelphia's energy. Expect both the Sixers and the Heat to give it all they have Sunday night.
The desire to win within both teams will make the upcoming matchup the highest-scoring game of the series so far. Finally, our boldest prediction yet: Sixers take Game 4 111-107 to tie the series 2-2.
