Philadelphia 76ers vs. Miami Heat | Odds, Preview, & Prediction | Monday, May 2nd
Philadelphia 76ers vs. Miami Heat Preview: Can the 76ers keep pace without Embiid?
The key headline for tonight's Game 1 matchup between the Miami Heat and Philadelphia 76ers is the absence of MVP candidate Joel Embiid. The Cameroonian suffered an injury to his face in their last game. Without Embiid, the 76ers lack the inside scoring presence that opens up shots for their 3-point shooters.
Below, you will find a brief preview of each team followed by a prediction and pick for the game.
LET’S GET IT 🗣 https://t.co/lwDKP87GlN
"LET"S GET IT." -@MiamiHEAT
Miami Heat Preview:
After making quick work of the Atlanta Hawks, the Miami Heat and their suffocating defense focused their energy on the Philadelphia 76ers. The Miami Heat have the depth to make a great run in this year's playoffs, with players like Tyler Herro and Duncan Robinson contributing big minutes off the bench.
Kyle Lowry will miss Game 1 tonight, as he is battling a hamstring injury. The injury propels Gabe Vincent to the starting lineup. Vincent has earned every minute of playing time during this playoff run. He has contributed solid defensive efforts and timely 3-point shooting. Miami ranked fifth on the season in defensive efficiency and haven't slowed their efforts down.
The Heat look to frustrate the short-handed 76ers with smothering defense. The main key to victory for the Miami Heat is to make their 3-point shots and contest everything the 76ers shoot.
Regardless of who's suiting up, our preparation remains the same. Round 2 here we come. https://t.co/L7vtOvF3WF
"Regardless of who's suiting up, our preperation remains the same."- @MiamiHEAT
Philadelphia 76ers Preview:
Sixers Must Reinvent Themselves Against Miami Heat Until Joel Embiid Returns trib.al/ZGwg74L https://t.co/3gQAX0oi52
"Sixers Must Reinvent Themselves Against Miami Heat Until Joel Embiid Returns"- @Forbes
The Philadelphia 76ers closed out the Raptors in 6 games in their last series. The series win came with some bad news, though, as Joel Embiid broke his orbital bone and will at least miss tonight's game. Embiid's injury will put a lot of responsibility on the shoulders of James Harden, Tobias Harris, and Tyrese Maxey.
To come out of tonight's game with a win, Philadelphia needs to put a high focus on the defensive end of the floor. Without Embiid, they're losing a lot of offensive firepower. So, the gameplan should be to get stops on defense and utilize as much of the shot clock on each possession.
It seems that Philadelphia will have to beat Miami at their own game in order to escape from Miami with a win.
Prediction/Pick: Miami Heat 1H -4.5 (-105)
The Philadelphia 76ers are going to miss Joel Embiid's production greatly tonight. The Miami Heat have played consistent basketball all season long, and that doesn't seem to change tonight. The 76ers seem to have too many obstacles on the road in tonight's Game 1. We're riding with the home team to come out hot and lead by 5+ at the half!