The Philadelphia 76ers and the Miami Heat series is now tied up at 1-1 with the Heat bouncing back from a Game loss with a rousing triumph in Game 2. Will the 76ers get the series lead back? Or will the Heat take a 2-1 advantage?
It looks like the Sixers are pressed to have Joel Embiid back. Embiid has yet to play in this series because of a facial injury, and the big man did not shy away from expressing his frustrations over his inability to help his team on the court by resorting to vulgarity on social media following Monday’s 113-103 loss to Miami. With or without Embiid this Thursday, the Sixers need to either find their touch back from deep or be more wise in taking perimeter shots. The Sixers hit 18 3-pointers in Game 1 on 47.4 percent shooting, but their prowess from deep disappeared in Game 2 in which they went 7-for-36 (19.4%) from the 3-point region.
The Sixers will go to Miami for the first time in this series with a 4-3 ATS record in their last seven road games.
Dwayne Wade turned back the clock in Game 2 and went full vintage Dwyane Wade, putting the Heat on his back and leading them to the series-tying victory. Wade came off the bench and fired a game-high 28 points on 11-for-16 shooting from the floor. Wade’s explosion came in a timely fashion, as the Heat just could not get anything from starting center Hassan Whiteside, who only had four points and five rebounds in 15 minutes of action. Although the Heat gave the heat a much-needed confidence, they need to coax Whiteside into doing something that could positively impact the Miami, particularly on defense. The Heat held the Sixers below 20 percent in 3-point shooting, but allowed 56 points in the paint as against Miami’s 32. The Heat also need to be better on the defensive glass, as Philly was +6 in offensive rebounding in Game 2.
The Heat are 6-4 ATS in their last 10 home games.
Writer’s Prediction
Miami wins and takes the series advantage with a final score of 108-105.
