Following back-to-back wins, the Philadelphia 76ers will hit the road again to square off against the Miami Heat. Doc Rivers' side was able to climb its way back from a 0-2 deficit, mostly led by Joel Embiid's return from a two-game absence.
James Harden turned back the clock with a 31-point performance, arguably his best game since joining the Sixers. For Miami, their often-stout defense was nowhere to be found, with their rivals shooting over 50% from the field in Game 4 of the series.
Bam Adebayo feasted against DeAndre Jordan but, naturally, he's finding it way tougher against Embiid. Jimmy Butler continues to excel and take his game a step forward in the postseason but he needs more help from the Heat's shooters.
Despite making over $90 million, Duncan Robinson has only played one minute in this series and has struggled in the playoffs overall. That'll need to change if the Heat stand a chance, especially with Kyle Lowry out for the foreseeable future.
Joel Embiid was a leading MVP candidate for most of the season but eventually, the award went Nikola Jokic's way. So, we can't wait to see how he'll react in his first game after the announcement.
Embiid has been a dominant force on both ends of the floor throughout the whole campaign. He's got elite footwork and sweet touch around the rim, and his rim protection skills make him one of the best big men we've seen in decades. If the Sixers are to win, he's the reason why.
Both teams are nearly at full strength in terms of health, with Kyle Lowry being the only absent as he nurses a hamstring injury. That could lead to Victor Oladipo sliding into the starting lineup.
When it comes to trends, the Heat are 7-1 ATS in their last 8 games as a home favorite, 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games following an ATS loss, and 7-3 ATS in their last 10 after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game.
Erik Spoelstra isn't the kind of coach who often loses multiple games in a row. The Heat will head back home to their court with their fans and regrouped after suffering back-to-back tough losses, and that's a huge bounce-back spot.
Having Embiid back on the court will be huge for the Sixers but we trust Spoelstra to make the necessary adjustments, something that can't be said of Doc Rivers. The price is reasonable, so feel free to lay the 3 points with the Miami Heat on Game 5.
