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The Philadelphia 76ers put themselves in quite the predicament. They started their Eastern Conference Semifinals series against the Miami Heat down 0-2. Then, with the return of Joel Embiid, the Sixers pulled off back-to-back home games to tie the series. Unfortunately, the Sixers couldn't maintain that energy, falling flat in a brutal 35-point loss in Game 5 Tuesday night.
Now, Philadelphia has two options. The team can choose to dominate in the must-win game at home, or they can call it a season. What's the game plan? Here are our three boldest predictions for the Sixers in Game 6 against the Heat.
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Sixers 3 Bold Predictions for Game 6 vs. Heat
3. Joel Embiid brings the heat
The Heat are headed to Philadelphia for Game 6 but expect the actual fervor to come from Joel Embiid Thursday night.
Going into Game 5, Embiid had so many reasons to be fired up. He played through multiple serious injuries and fell to Nikola Jokic for the 2022 NBA MVP award. Unfortunately for the Sixers big man, he didn't have a great game Tuesday night. He put up 17 points, five rebounds, and two assists, his least productive game of the series.
Of course, it didn't help that Embiid suffered a hit to the face during the game, clearly aggravating his right orbital fracture.
However, expect these negatives from Game 5 to propel Embiid to a dominating Game 6. He'll continue to fight through his injuries and strive to prove why he deserved the title of MVP. Expect at least 25 points and ten rebounds for Embiid in Game 6.
2. A three-point showdown
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Throughout this series, it seems as though the teams have taken turns hitting shots from beyond the arc.
Danny Green was electric in the Sixers' first two home games of the series, averaging five threes per game. James Harden also found himself draining threes on home court, putting up six in Game 4.
Meanwhile, the Heat performed much better in Miami. Tyler Herro, Max Strus, and even Jimmy Butler made huge deep shots to seal their three home wins.
These two teams are going to be laser-focused with everything on the line. That being said, both teams are going to drain clutch threes Thursday night. Expect at least ten three-pointers from each team and the highest-scoring game of the series.
1. The home energy forces Game 7
This series is a testament to the validity of home-court advantage. The Heat won all three games in Miami so far, while the Sixers are 2-0 in Philadelphia heading into Game 6. With this in mind, expect the Sixers to take Game 6 Thursday night.
Philadelphia fans are arguably the most passionate group in professional sports. When Game 6 tips off at the Wells Fargo Center, they'll be sure to bring the energy. Not to mention, the Sixers are a lot more comfortable and more efficient on their home court, adding to their chances of forcing Game 7.
With the momentum of a packed house and the familiarity of home court, expect the Sixers to pull off a win Thursday night. Finally, our boldest prediction yet: Philadelphia wins 114-108.
