Jim Rassol-USA TODAY Sports/Sipa USA
Miami Heat vs Philadelphia 76ers: Who is going to the playoffs tonight?
The Miami Heat and the Philadelphia 76ers are fighting for the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference tonight at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia.
The Heat are in a familiar situation
The Miami Heat finished the season in eighth place in the Eastern Conference with a 46-36 record. They won seven of the last 10 games in the regular season and are coming off back-to-back wins over the Toronto Raptors. The Heat are third in the league, allowing 108.4 points per game, and are ranked 12th, shooting 37% from the three-point line. Jimmy Butler and Tyler Herro lead the team, averaging 20.8 points per game.
Is Joel Embiid ready for the challenge?
The Philadelphia 76ers finished the regular season in seventh place in the Eastern Conference with a 47-35 record. They won the last eight games of the regular season and are coming off a 107-86 win over the Brooklyn Nets. The Sixers lead the league, making 19.5 free throws per game, and are ranked ninth, allowing 111.5 points per game. Joel Embiid leads the team, averaging 34.7 points per game, followed by Tyrese Maxey with 25.9.
Betting Trends
The Heat have covered the spread in 6 of the last 9 games against the Sixers. Miami is 4-2 ATS in the last six games overall and 9-3 ATS in the last 12 games played in April. Philadelphia is 10-0 ATS in the last ten games overall, 7-0 ATS in the last seven home games and 8-0 ATS in the last eight games against teams from the Eastern Conference.
Prediction and Conclusion
The Miami Heat are familiar with the situation of being in the play-in tournament. Last season, they were with their backs against the wall but were able to go all the way to the NBA Finals. Making it to the playoffs will not be easy this season, as the Heat are going to Philadelphia to face the Sixers. Joel Embiid missed significant time with an injury but came back right on time to take over the charge in Philadelphia. Tyrese Maxey has grown into a real asset for the Sixers and will be a huge problem for Miami. Jimmy Butler will have an extra motive for playing a must-win game against his former team. However, that will not be enough for the Heat, as the Sixers will cover the -4.5-point spread and advance to the opening playoff round against the New York Knicks.
