Philadelphia at Miami
Time: 6 PM CT (TNT)
Spread: PHI -2
Total: 217
Odds c/o 5dimes
The Miami Heat rebounded from its abysmal Game 1 loss and won Game 2 by a tally of 113-103. The game was closer than that score indicates, however, as the Heat padded its point total easily due to Philadelphia’s desperation fouls down the stretch. The Heat connected on those freebies and tied the series at 1-1. It now shifts to Miami for a crucial Game 3 which sees the Sixers as 2-point favorites in a game with an over/under set at 217 points according to NBA oddsmakers at bookmaker 5dimes.
The Heat won game 2 in pretty decisive fashion due to a throwback performance from reserve superstar Dwyane Wade. His full repertoire was on display as he hit tough shot after another, making some 20-foot turnarounds— all the things we expect from vintage Wade. He scored a team-high 28 points on 11 of 16 shooting, but he hit nine of his first 11 shots and had already posted 20-plus points in his first 13 minutes on the court. Wade’s plus-minus was +16, the highest of any Heat reserve, including Kelly Olynyk who impressed once again with another strong game in 33 minutes of play.
The Heat shot 49 percent from the field and limited its turnovers to just 15 while amassing 23 assists. Hassan Whiteside was a non-factor for the second-straight game as he managed just four points and five rebounds in 15 minutes of play. Only if Joel Embiid makes an early return will Whiteside even matter in this series? He is nearly unplayable while Philly employs small ball lineups, and he had four fouls in those 15 minutes to highlight the fact he is really outmatched in games when the tempo increases.
The Sixers got impressive games from Ben Simmons and Dario Saric again, but it just was not enough in this one. Philly led by seven after the first quarter but was outscored 34-13 in the second, which was basically a tough nail to fight back from and left the Sixers playing from behind the entire second half. Saric had 23 points, eight rebounds, three assists and five steal/blocks in 36 minutes while posting the best Plus-minus of any Sixers starter (-7).
The second-year forward was listed as crucial in this series preview, and thus far he has stepped up like the Sixers need him to. Simmons, too, was so impressive but we have already come to expect that from the LSU one-and-done. Marco Belinelli had a nice shooting game off the bench, but the Sixers barely used 2017 No. 1 overall pick Markelle Fultz. Robert Covington and JJ Redick both shot the ball poorly, and the pair connected on just 7 of 27 from the floor while going a combined 2 of 16 from three-point range. The recipe for a Sixers win in Game 3 includes better performances from that pair while still getting big games from Simmons and Saric. Embiid was reevaluated but deemed still unable to play, and it is anyone’s guess as to whether the second-year monster center appears in this series or not…
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