Can Miami Heat Cool Down Red-Hot Sixers in Philly?

The Miami Heat will look to extend their winning streak to three games when they visit the red-hot Philadelphia 76ers on Monday night. Both teams come in with identical 37-30 records, tied for the 6th playoff spot in the Eastern Conference standings.

The Heat are coming off a dramatic 102-100 win over the Detroit Pistons on Sunday. Bam Adebayo hit a game-winning jumper with less than a second left to cap off his 20-point, 17-rebound performance. Duncan Robinson also had a big night, pouring in a season-high 30 points while knocking down 7 three-pointers.

Meanwhile, the 76ers took care of business against the Charlotte Hornets on Saturday with a 109-98 victory. As has been the case most of the season, Philadelphia’s defense led the way, holding the Hornets under 100 points.

The 76ers have been one of the hottest teams in the NBA over the last month, going 12-3 in their last 15 games. They’ll look to extend that streak against a Heat team they’ve struggled with recently, losing 7 of the last 10 meetings including both matchups so far this season.

However, the oddsmakers like Philadelphia’s chances at home, installing them as 2.5-point favorites. The over/under is set at a low 208.5, indicating this could be a defensive battle between two of the NBA’s stingier defenses.

Both teams do an excellent job of protecting the ball, with the Heat ranking 2nd in turnovers per game and the 76ers leading the league in that category. Whichever team is able to force more mistakes and get out in transition could have a decisive advantage.

Miami has covered the spread in 6 straight road games as an underdog, so bettors may want to lean towards backing the Heat against the number. But the 76ers have been virtually unbeatable at home lately, winning 14 of their last 16 games in Philadelphia.

This should be an entertaining, hard-fought battle between two of the Eastern Conference’s biggest challengers to the top-seeded Bucks and Celtics. Containing Joel Embiid will be priority number one for Miami, but players like James Harden and Tyrese Maxey are more than capable of taking over a game for Philly.

In the end, the 76ers’ home court advantage and depth may be too much for the short-handed Heat to overcome as they continue to play without injured starters Tyler Herro and Victor Oladipo. But don’t be surprised if this one goes down to the wire like so many of the recent meetings between these two teams.