The Sixers are in Miami with Game 1 of their series against the Heat taking place on Monday night. Let’s take a look at the series matchup:
Sixers-Heat Game 1 Odds
- Spread: Heat -7.5 (-115)
- Total: 208.5 (-110)
- Moneyline: Sixers +260
- Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
- Watch: fuboTV
- Odds via PointsBet
Latest on Joel Embiid
What could’ve been a matchup for the ages has quickly turned into anything but that after news emerged of Joel Embiid suffering a right orbital fracture and mild concussion in Philadelphia’s Game 6 win in Toronto. The MVP candidate who was initially reported out indefinitely has since gained optimism towards a Game 3 or 4 return following a two-game trip to South Beach that Embiid won’t be on the sidelines for. This gives Jimmy Butler and the top-seeded Heat a lopsided matchup that should go in their favor.
Who Steps Up For Philly?
- James Harden: 19.0 points, 10.2 assists, and 5.0 rebounds in 6 games.
- Tobias Harris: 17.8 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 2.8 assists in 6 games.
- Tyrese Maxey: 21.3 points, 4.8 assists, and 4.7 rebounds in 6 games.
It’s simply impossible to replace Embiid who led the league in scoring, then averaged 26.2 points and 11.3 rebounds through the opening round of the postseason. It’s mainly going to come down to James Harden, Tyrese Maxey, and Tobias Harris to push this to at least a six-game series, giving Embiid an outside chance to potentially return.
As formidable as Philly’s supporting cast is, without Embiid it seems too tough to match up with the depth Miami has on their roster.
Can Miami Score Enough to Keep Up?
Here’s a closer look at the talent across the board in the Heat’s opening round gentleman’s sweep over the Hawks.
- Jimmy Butler: 30.5 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 5.3 assists in 4 games
- Max Strus: 14.0 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.2 assists in 5 games
- Victor Oladipo: 14.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 3.5 assists in 2 games
- Bam Adebayo: 12.4 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 3.6 assists in 5 games
- Tyler Herro: 12.8 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 3.2 assists in 5 games
Butler realistically should average in the 20s as guys like Oladipo (who should see more minutes), Adebayo, and Herro step it up a notch in this series—especially with Embiid’s absence on the defensive side of the ball.
Sixers-Heat Series Odds
- Heat: -375
- Sixers: +220
- Odds via PointsBet
Series Prediction
Miami could flat-out sweep Philly with Embiid’s status up in the air, but I’ll give them the benefit of taking game 3 or 4 at home and forcing a Game 5 in South Beach. At that point in time, it would be foolish of Philly to rush Embiid back from injury if he’s not 100% in a must-win game, especially with the potential of causing a more serious long-term injury. Perhaps the turning point in this series could be Embiid’s potential Game 3 return, but it feels like he is far from playing to the best of his ability with the injuries he is dealing with…
SR Prediction: Heat in 5
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