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The Philadelphia 76ers meet the Miami Heat in Game 1 of the Eastern conference semifinal matchup with both teams looking to grab the early edge in the series. The 76ers will be without Joel Embiid, while Miami is down Kyle Lowry. Jimmy Butler and Tyler Herro are listed as questionable, but both have said they plan on playing Monday.
The Heat are 7.5-point favorites per DraftKings Sportsbook, with the total set at 208.5
76ers vs. Heat, 7:30 p.m. ET
Pick ATS: Heat -7.5 (-105)
Miami went 3-2 against the spread in the first round and gets a 76ers team without its best player at home. Even without Lowry, the Heat are a tight defensive unit and should be able to prevent the 76ers from getting much done offensively. The teams split the regular season series 2-2 but this is a different setup with Embiid out. Take the home team to win and cover in Game 1.
Over/Under: Over 208.5
This is a low total, especially if Butler and Herro both play. The Heat are averaging 109.5 points per game in the playoffs, while the Sixers are at 111.5. Philadelphia has already adjusted its gameplan with Embiid out, so there won’t be much of an adjustment period from their standpoint. The Heat should keep things tight defensively but this total is too low to feel comfortable about the under. Take the over here.
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