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It appears Joel Embiid is going to win the NBA MVP Award for this season after a huge game Tuesday, so could the Sixers hold him out of Thursday’s home matchup against the Miami Heat with the regular season concluding this weekend? As of now, he’s expected to play and the Sixers are favored on the NBA odds.

Miami vs Philadelphia | 2023 NBA Expert Analysis

How to Bet Heat at Sixers NBA Odds & TV Info

When: Thursday, 7:30 PM ET
Where: Wells Fargo Center
TV: TNT
Stream: TNT app
Radio: Tunein.com
NBA Odds: Sixers -5.5 (total 221.5)

Season Series

This is the third and final regular-season meeting between the clubs. They split the first two, both winning on the road. The last meeting was March 1 in Miami, a 119-96 Philly win despite not having Joel Embiid. Tyrese Maxey scored 27 points and James Harden added 23. Paul Reed had 16 points, 14 rebounds and was plus-26 in 29 minutes. Bam Adebayo scored 20 for the Heat. Last season, they also split the series, 2-2.

Why Bet on Miami?

The Heat (42-37) still sit seventh in the East but have a shot to catch Brooklyn for sixth and avoid the play-in tournament. Miami comes off a 118-105 win in Detroit on Tuesday to start this three-game trip. Gabe Vincent lit up the Pistons on Tuesday for 22 points on 8-for-14 shooting, including a career-high six made three-pointers. Jimmy Butler had 27 points, eight rebounds, eight assists and four steals. Butler now has recorded at least 25 points, five rebounds and five assists on nine occasions this year.

Kyle Lowry had 11 points and five assists. Lowry came off the bench Tuesday while still recovering from a knee injury, leading the Heat bench in scoring and assists while finishing as one of five players with a double-digit point total. The Heat used an eight-man rotation in this game, as they weren’t missing any rotational players. Kevin Love played the fewest minutes with 17, with the other seven all playing at least 20 minutes.

Butler (42 times), Bam Adebayo (37 times) and Tyler Herro (34 times) have each scored at least 20 points 30 times this season, becoming just the second trio to accomplish the feat during a single season in team history, joining only LeBron James (67 times), Dwyane Wade (57 times) and Chris Bosh (34 times) in 2010-11.

Miami has secured its 13th season of at least a .500 record since Erik Spoelstra became head coach 15 years ago in 2008-09. The 13 .500+ seasons over the last 15 years tie for the most in the NBA over that span.

Thursday marks the first of a back-to-back road set for the Heat with another game Friday in Washington. It marks Miami’s 14th back-to-back of the season after previously winning both three times, splitting them six times and losing both on four occasions.

The Heat have won 24 games this season by five points or less, the most such victories during a single-season in team history, and tying for the most such games in NBA history. Among Miami’s 75 games this season, 39 of them have been decided by five points or less.

Bet Heat to Win Today
MyBookie Betting Lines for the Game

Why Bet on Philadelphia?

The Sixers (52-27) are likely finishing third in the East regular-season standings and could be locked into that spot by the time they take the floor. They beat Boston 103-101 on Tuesday behind 52 points on 20-for-25 shooting from Joel Embiid, who is now the heavy favorite to win his first MVP Award. It was Embiid’s third 50-point game of the season and his first with at least 30 since March 24 vs. Golden State (46 points). Boston had been 3-0 this year vs. Philadelphia.

“The MVP race is over,” Doc Rivers said after the game. “Really. Like tonight, we couldn’t make shots… The man just scored half of our points in an NBA game. And I’m biased, but the MVP race is over.”

Embiid became the first center with three 50-point games in a season since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in 1971-72 (5). Embiid was double-teamed 13 times, and Philadelphia shot 9-for-11 and scored 23 points on those possessions. Meanwhile, Embiid was 10-for-13 on contested field goal attempts. In the game, Embiid played 39 minutes. During that time, the Sixers outscored the Celtics by 17 points. During the nine minutes he rested on the bench, the Sixers were outscored by 15. They consistently collapse when Embiid is off of the floor.

He has been operating more from the nail and the free-throw line on offense this season as opposed to the low post. From having better passing windows to seeing fewer double teams, the adjustment has paid off. PJ Tucker made three massive three-pointers Tuesday in the fourth quarter off of feeds from Embiid, giving the Sixers enough of a lead to hold onto the victory.

“Joel should win (MVP),” said Sixers guard James Harden. “He’s been in contention for it the last few years. He led the league in scoring last year. It looks like he’s going to lead the league in scoring this year. We’re the third seed in the East. He’s been consistent all year.”

Harden finished with 20 points, 10 assists and five rebounds. He reached double-digit assists for the seventh time in his last eight contests. Harden is averaging 14.8 points, 10.2 assists and 4.2 rebounds over his past five.

Bet 76ers to Win Today
MyBookie Betting Lines for the Game

Game Trends

Heat are 1-5-1 ATS in their last 7 Thursday games.
Heat are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 road games.
76ers are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 home games vs. a team with a losing road record.
76ers are 3-8 ATS in their last 11 Thursday games.
Under is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings.