The Philadelphia 76ers don’t need a win Thursday night against Miami to finish on top of the Eastern Conference standings – but it would certainly help. The 76ers (47-22 SU, 36-29-4 ATS) own a 1.5-game lead over Brooklyn in the East race and control their own fate with or without a victory over the defending conference champion Heat (38-31 SU, 32-35-2 ATS).
- Date/Time: May 13, 7:30 p.m. ET
- Arena: AmericanAirlines Arena
- TV Coverage: TNT
- Sportsbook Odds: 76ers -1.5 | O/U 217.5 (Line History)
- 76ers vs Heat Matchup Report
Sportsbook Odds Analysis
The 76ers are 1.5-point road favorites against the Heat, who are just 14-19-2 ATS at home this season. The total has held steady at 217.5.
Philadelphia News & Notes
Regardless of the outcome, the 76ers will be looking to use Thursday’s marquee encounter in Miami as a measuring stick for their playoff preparedness. They’ll close out the season with two games against an Orlando Magic team that has long checked out of the 2020-21 season, meaning this could be Philadelphia’s last competitive outing until the postseason gets underway.
These teams haven’t met since Philadelphia earned a two-game sweep against the visiting Heat in mid-January – and while all-star center and MVP candidate Joel Embiid played well in just one of those two contests, that performance was memorable. Embiid erupted for 45 points and 16 rebounds in a 137-134 OT win on January 12, and is going to be a popular DFS play Thursday night.
Miami News & Notes
Thursday is definitely a measuring-stick game for the Heat, who can still finish anywhere from fourth to sixth in the East depending on how the final days of the season shake out. They’ve waited four months for a chance to exact their revenge on a Philadelphia team that needs any combination of wins and Brooklyn losses equaling two to clinch the Eastern Conference title.
The matchup to watch in this one pits Embiid against Bam Adebayo, who was forced to miss the previous meetings between these teams due to COVID-19 health and safety protocols. The two haven’t faced off since February 3, 2020, when Embiid racked up 29 points and 12 rebounds but was outshone by Adebayo (18 points, 11 rebounds, eight assists) in a 137-106 Miami rout.
Betting Pick: OVER 217.5 (-110)
Miami is on an incredible 10-game OVER streak, and the 76ers will gladly exchange buckets in what should be a lively game with implications for both sides.
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Buy Sports Picks Now- The Heat are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games.
- The 76ers are 8-4 SU in their past 12 games vs Miami.
- The OVER is 10-0 in Miami’s past 10 games.
