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Update: Adebayo and Lowry are in for the Heat. It looks like the 76ers aren’t resting anyone, so Joel Embiid, James Harden and Tobias Harris are good to go. Maxey has been ruled out, while Tucker and Melton are in. The line is now 76ers -2.5 and the total comes in at 219.5. We’re going to maintain our ATS pick with the 76ers, and the over remains our pick on the total.
The Miami Heat (42-37) and Philadelphia 76ers (52-27) will meet in an Eastern Conference matchup at the Wells Fargo Arena in Philadelphia Thursday. The NBA regular season is winding down with only about three games to go. The Heat will be in the playoffs, but they have a slim chance of getting the No. 6 seed and outside of the play-in tournament. The 76ers on the other hand, are locked into the No. 3 seed, so they have nothing else to play for during the regular season.
The 76ers have three guys on the injury report, Tyrese Maxey (neck stiffness), P.J Tucker (right calf), and De’Anthony Melton (right calf), who are all questionable for tonight’s matchup. For the Heat, Bam Adebayo (Left quad) and Kyle Lowry (left knee) are both questionable. The stars look good to go for tonight but the Sixers might rest their guys with nothing to really play for.
The 76ers are a 3-point favorite according to Draftkings Sportsbook, and priced at -150 on the moneyline. The Heat are +130 on the moneyline, and the total is set at 220.5.
Heat vs. 76ers, 7:30 p.m. ET
Pick ATS: 76ers -3
Although the 76ers have their playoff spot and seed secure, they’ve been playing good basketball of late on the back of center Joel Embiid, who is looking to lock up the MVP award for the first time in his career. James Harden is healthy and looks to get back to playing like he was before the injury. The Sixers won three out of their last four games as well coming into this one. The loss came at the hands of the No. 1 seed Milwaukee Bucks.
The Heat have failed to cover the spread in each of their last seven road games on the road on the first leg of a back-to-back. The home team has won each of the 76ers’ last seven home games as well. Philly is 46-33 against the spread this season, one of the best records in the league. Barring minutes restrictions on Embiid or Harden, look for the 76ers to take this one.
Over/Under: Over 220.5
The average point total at Wells Fargo Center this season has been 223.6, and the last four games between these two teams have been under on the point total. Heat star Jimmy Butler has scored 27 or more points in four of his team’s last five road games against the 76ers. That combined with the way Embiid has been playing, seems like a good spot for the teams to go over.