The Philadelphia 76ers (37-21) will lock horns with the Miami Heat (26-30) at the Wells Fargo Center for a pivotal Eastern Conference clash. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 PM and scheduled to be televised on FSN. As of late, the Sixers have held the upper hand in this series as they have won the last four meetings between both sides. Most recently, the Sixers defeated the Heat on the road in Miami in November as a 2.5-point underdog when they beat the Heat 124-114. Philadelphia is 4-0 ATS over their four-game winning streak as well.
Miami Heat at Philadelphia 76ers Overview
Miami Heat
The Heat come into this contest on a high note as they went into the All-Star break with a 112-101 win against the Dallas Mavericks in Big D orchestrating an outright upset as a three-point underdog.
Philadelphia 76ers
The 76ers come into this contest winning three of their last four games before heading into the All-Star break. Most recently, the Sixers were in action against their divisional rivals the New York Knicks on February 13th and punished their opponents 126-111 for covering easily as a 9.5-point favorite.
Reasons To Back Miami
Miami makes fewer mistakes with the basketball as they commit fewer turnovers compared to their opponents who will be instrumental in this contest. Moreover, Miami’s defense makes them a potent threat in any match they step into as they are ranked third in the NBA in scoring (105.7 points per game) and opponent field goal percentage (44.3%). When you combine this narrative with Miami’s massive edge in bench play (Miami’s bench scores 43.2 points per game compared to Philly’s that averages just 32.9 bench points per game), the Heat are primed to not only cover but orchestrate an upset.
Reasons To Avoid Philadelphia
The stock was high on the 76ers as they entered into the All-Star Break. Some have called this team a Finals-worthy contender and have even gone as far as to say that they can dethrone the Golden State Warriors from their perch as two-time defending champion. Such hyperbolic language can inflate the perception of a team and subject takers to an overlay as a result. When Philly’s recent successes against Miami along with their profitability are taken into consideration, that propensity is that much greater.
- Get more details: Miami at Philadelphia NBA Match-up
