by Chuck Sommers
Tuesday, Feb 28, 2023
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Venue: Miami-Dade Arena, Miami, FL
Where to watch: BSSUN, NBCSP
Opening Odds at USA Sportsbooks
DraftKings: 76ers -2; PHI -130, MIA +110; O/U 216
FanDuel: 76ers -2; PHI -132, MIA +112; O/U 216
BetMGM: 76ers -1.5; PHI -135, MIA +110; O/U 215.5
Caesars: 76ers -2; PHI -130, MIA +110; O/U 216
Season record
76ers: 39-21
Heat: 33-29
The All-Star break is over in the NBA and it's time to get on the horse and finish up the final home stretch of the season. Big trades, uncertainty, and absolute hilarity across the board all gearing up for the final home stretch of this season. You know who is also gearing up for the home stretch? Our champion handicappers at bigal.com who are ready to win their way all the way to the playoffs. There's a lot going on that we can't wait for in these final 23-25 games and you're going to need every bit of hardcore analysis you can get from this group. Just in the last 30 days we've had some big winners. Doc's Sports has posted a 16-6-0 record in the last month (+$9,200). AAA Sports has killed it at 17-8-0, and then Al McMordie with a dominant 20-11-1 mark over the last 30 days. Everything you need to know and more about what's going on this league and sports in general will be a fun finish to the end. All you have to do is go to bigal.com and find our Best Bets page and put forth something that only you think is good. Here's a hint: Go to the bigal.com website and happy betting!
76ers - Heat preview, prediction and analysis
We’ve got another second game of a baseball series going down on Wednesday, but this time a home-and-home. The Miami Heat, yes the very same Miami Heat that had no idea how to win a game for a hot minute, will be hosting the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday after the Heat pulled off the upset Monday in Philadelphia.
The Heat ended a dreaded five-game losing streak with a 101-99 win over the Sixers at Wells Fargo Center. And of course it would be Jimmy Butler doing it to his former team. The All-Star forward had 23 points and hit one of the more wild layups you’ll ever see to give Miami the lead for good. Butler also led Miami with 11 rebounds and nine assists.
Bam Adebayo had just 13 points and seven rebounds on 4 of 14 shooting, and Max Strus had 13 points off the bench in 24 minutes.
“I work on that kind of stuff every day,” Butler said of his highlight-reel basket. “I love to play this game and I love to compete, but it’s always much more fun when we win.”
The Heat were in dire need of that win. They were in danger of the Atlanta Hawks catching them in the standings. Miami is currently seventh in the Eastern Conference, 1.5 games ahead of the Hawks when it comes to play-in status. But on the books, it hasn’t been great for Miami as they’ve failed to cover in four straight and eight of nine. It’s been a combination of that losing stretch that has not looked great, and the fact they’re not getting enough points as underdogs. There was a stretch for three straight where the line didn’t go higher than 1.5.
“You have to expect things to be a little bit gnarly on the road,” Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said. “You have to weather a bunch of different storms. … Sometimes you just need the ball to bounce the right way. Harden had a window there and was open, but we contested so many shots tonight that sometimes when you do get an open shot you don’t have a great rhythm.”
The 76ers struggled to shoot the ball just as much, but obviously their talent kept them around. Joel Embiid led the way with 27 points and 12 rebounds, but he only took 17 shots. You’d expect him to take more; he did make all seven free-throw attempts, however. James Harden, who missed a game-winning 3 at the buzzer, shot just 5 of 14 from the floor and finished with 20 points and 12 assists. Harden has been really, really struggling to shoot the ball as of late.
“I just think we were really sloppy tonight, sluggish,” Philadelphia coach Doc Rivers said. “It happens, but you still have to find a way to win the game. Tonight, we didn’t.”
Philadelphia has dropped two straight by a combined five points and have now failed to cover in two straight after covering in the previous five, during their five-game winning streak. I wouldn’t stress too much over this, as the Sixers were on a two-game slide to New York and Boston before the All-Star break, then went on a run of winning.
Prediction
It’s time for Philadelphia to return the favor. Miami needed that win badly. Philadelphia needs this one just to shake off the cobwebs and be the threat in the East they can be. 76ers 110, Heat 104
Betting trends
76ers are 17-5 ATS when the line is +3 to -3 this season.
76ers are 37-19 ATS when playing 4 or less games in 10 days the last 3 seasons.
Heat are 8-19 ATS at home this season.
Heat are 6-16 ATS after allowing 105 points or less this season.
Projected starting lineup
Heat:
PG: Gabe Vincent
SG: Tyler Herro
SF: Jimmy Butler
PF: Kevin Love
C: Bam Adebayo
76ers:
PG: James Harden
SG: De'Anthony Melton
SF: Tobias Harris
PF: P.J. Tucker
C: Joel Embiid
Injury report
Heat: Kyle Lowry (knee, out)
76ers: Dewayne Dedmon (hip, out)
Heat: Kyle Lowry (knee, out)
76ers: Dewayne Dedmon (hip, out)
Don't miss our champion handicappers' free picks and expert basketball picks today. And if you enjoyed this Philadelphia 76ers - Miami Heat prediction, be sure to drop by every day for our daily NBA projections and previews.
Chuck Sommers
About the Author:
Chuck Sommers has camped outside of sportsbooks since he can remember, learning the tricks and nuances of the trade. He still has nightmares of betting $5,000 on the Raiders in the Tuck Rule game but has since turned that to 25 years of veteran handicapping greatness. You can find him mostly in the shadows at the Red Rock or Aliante casinos wondering if the over is cashing on any given Sunday.
