Miami (0-1) at Philadelphia (1-0)
When: Monday, April 16th 2018
Where: Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA
Time: 8:05 ET | TV: TNT
Opening Odds: Philadelphia -7/215.5
The Philadelphia 76ers were one of the surprise teams in the league this season, but the franchise hadn’t participated in the postseason in six years, so some wondered how the young team would react. After a sluggish start in Game 1, the Sixers settled in and put on a dominating effort in a 27-point blowout of the Miami Heat to take the early series lead. Philly will try to make it two straight over Miami in their best-of-seven Eastern Conference first-round series when the teams meet in Game 2 on Monday in Philadelphia. The 76ers outscored the Heat 74-43 in the second half en route to a convincing 130-103 victory, while making 18-of-28 3-pointers and recording 34 assists against just 10 turnovers. Philadelphia has won a remarkable 17 games in a row and the last nine victories have come without All-Star center Joel Embiid (orbital fracture), who could return as soon as Game 3. The Heat will try and get their center going, as Hassan Whiteside recorded just two points on 1-of-4 shooting in 12 minutes of action. Including Game 1, Philadelphia won 24 of its last 25 games at Wells Fargo Center.
Whiteside and head coach Erik Spoelstra have had their issues this season and the center seemed frustrated over his limited minutes in Game 1. Spoelstra seems to want more offense from that position and 7-footer Kelly Olynyk has provided that down the stretch of the regular season. The former Gonzaga Bulldog scored a team-high 26 points on 9-of-13 shooting – including 4-of-5 from beyond the arc – off the bench on Saturday. Whiteside wasn’t the only one with a bad game, as the Miami starters combined to shoot 13-of-40 from the field in Game 1.
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With the inside presence of Embiid, Philadelphia has turned to its perimeter shooting, and the quartet of JJ Redick, Dario Saric, Marco Belinelli and Ersan Ilyasova combined to hit 15-of-23 long-range attempts in Game 1. Redick scored a game-high 28 points on Saturday, the third time in his last four games going back to the regular season that he finished with that total. Sensation rookie Ben Simmons was feeding those long range shooters all night and finished his playoff debut with 17 points and 14 assists.
All the questions anyone had about how the 76ers would come out and play in the postseason were answered on Saturday. This team was dominant in Game 1 and are a legitimate threat in the East. Miami could put up a fight when the series shifts back to Florida, but this game will be much like the first. Sixers win by double-digits.
Pick: 76ers -6.5
- Heat are 17-6-3 ATS in their last 26 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
- Heat are 26-10-2 ATS in their last 38 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
- Heat are 18-7-1 ATS in their last 26 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.
- Heat are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 games following a straight up loss of more than 10 points.
- Heat are 7-3-1 ATS in their last 11 games after allowing more than 125 points in their previous game.
- Heat are 9-4 ATS in their last 13 games following a straight up loss.
- Heat are 13-6-1 ATS in their last 20 games following a ATS loss.
- Heat are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 vs. Eastern Conference.
- Heat are 1-3-1 ATS in their last 5 road games.
- Heat are 2-6 ATS in their last 8 games overall.
- Heat are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game.
- 76ers are 9-1 ATS in their last 10 games following a straight up win of more than 10 points.
- 76ers are 9-2 ATS in their last 11 vs. Eastern Conference.
- 76ers are 12-3 ATS in their last 15 games following a straight up win.
- 76ers are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
- 76ers are 12-3 ATS in their last 15 games overall.
- 76ers are 12-3 ATS in their last 15 after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game.
- 76ers are 9-3 ATS in their last 12 when their opponent allows 100 points or more in their previous game.
- 76ers are 19-7 ATS in their last 26 home games vs. a team with a losing road record.
- 76ers are 18-7-1 ATS in their last 26 vs. NBA Southeast.
- 76ers are 23-9-1 ATS in their last 33 after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game.
- 76ers are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 Monday games.
- 76ers are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games playing on 1 days rest.
- 76ers are 62-29-2 ATS in their last 93 when their opponent scores 100 points or more in their previous game.
- 76ers are 43-21 ATS in their last 64 home games.
- 76ers are 45-22 ATS in their last 67 games following a ATS win.
- 76ers are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games after scoring more than 125 points in their previous game.
- Over is 5-0 in Heat last 5 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
- Over is 4-0-1 in Heat last 5 vs. NBA Atlantic.
- Over is 5-1 in Heat last 6 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.
- Under is 5-1 in Heat last 6 Conference Quarterfinals games.
- Over is 8-2 in Heat last 10 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
- Over is 4-1 in Heat last 5 Monday games.
- Under is 4-1 in Heat last 5 when their opponent allows 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Over is 10-3 in Heat last 13 road games.
- Under is 5-2 in Heat last 7 games following a ATS loss.
- Over is 12-5-1 in Heat last 18 when their opponent scores 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Over is 11-5-1 in Heat last 17 vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
- Under is 3-0-1 in 76ers last 4 Monday games.
- Over is 5-0 in 76ers last 5 vs. Eastern Conference.
- Under is 6-1 in 76ers last 7 games after scoring more than 125 points in their previous game.
- Over is 5-1 in 76ers last 6 overall.
- Over is 5-1 in 76ers last 6 games following a straight up win.
- Over is 5-1 in 76ers last 6 when their opponent scores 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Over is 5-1 in 76ers last 6 after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Under is 4-1 in 76ers last 5 Conference Quarterfinals games.
- Under is 5-2-1 in 76ers last 8 games playing on 1 days rest.
- Home team is 7-1-1 ATS in the last 9 meetings.
- Favorite is 4-1-1 ATS in the last 6 meetings.
- Over is 6-2 in the last 8 meetings in Philadelphia.
- Heat are 1-4 ATS in the last 5 meetings in Philadelphia.
