The Philadelphia 76ers have proven that inexperience isn’t a big negative in the postseason. The young, talented squad is on the verge of advancing to the Eastern Conference semifinals. Philadelphia can get there with a victory over the Miami Heat in Game 5 this week.
Philadelphia went on the road and picked up a pair of critical wins in Games 3 and 4 to take a 3-1 lead in the series. Miami will now need to pull an upset on the road in order to stay alive and get the first round back to Florida.
The Heat won Game 2 in Philadelphia but the odds will certainly be against them in this contest. Keep a close eye on the spread as this should be a fascinating game in NBA basketball odds.
Game 5 of this NBA Playoff Series is on Tuesday, April 24, 2018 at 8 p.m. ET at the Wells Fargo Centers Philadelphia in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The contest will be nationally televised on TNT.
We'll have NBA odds at BookMaker.eu available for every game of the 2018 NBA Playoffs.
Odds Analysis
The 76ers are listed as large 10-point favorites in Game 5 as the oddsmakers are giving them a ton of respect in this close-out affair. About 52 percent of the action is on the Heat as a small majority of bettors believe this spread is too high.
The scoring total is listed at 211.5 points, and the “over” is getting about 75 percent of the action. The 76ers are listed as -650 favorites on the moneyline, while the Heat are +477 underdogs. The majority of the money is on Miami to pull the upset as it would pay off handsomely.
Last Time Out
The 76ers trailed heading into the fourth quarter of Game 4 but hit some huge shots down the stretch to pull out a 106-102 victory. Dwyane Wade finished with 25 points and helped keep Miami within striking distance in the final minutes, but the 76ers kept their foot on the gas.
Ben Simmons led the way with 17 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists, becoming the first rookie since Magic Johnson in 1980 to register a triple-double in the playoffs. He has quickly ascended to superstar status and the pairing of Simmons and Joel Embiid has been dynamic for the 76ers.
Embiid didn’t shoot well from the field in Game 4 but he rebounded well and played his usual impressive defense in the post. The return of Embiid from an orbital fracture has been a big boost as the 76ers are taking control of this series.
Key Stat
19. That’s how many victories the 76ers have rolled up in their last 20 games. Philadelphia ended the regular season on a 16-game winning streak to vault up to the No. 3 seed in the East. Now the 76ers have picked up three of the first four games in this series and are a heavy favorite to wrap it up in five games.
The projected favorites in the Eastern Conference are the Cleveland Cavaliers and Toronto Raptors, but both teams are tied 2-2 in their first-round series. Philadelphia is really showing out as a legitimate contender to make the NBA Finals, and a win in this game would be huge to get into the second round.
Free NBA ATS Picks
The 76ers are the better team and gets this game at home, so there shouldn’t be much issue with wrapping up the series. Miami does not have enough firepower to stick close enough.
Philadelphia isn’t only the choice to win this game but also to cover the spread. The 76ers should cruise into the second round, announcing themselves as legitimate contenders for the Eastern Conference crown.
Keep riding the 76ers in NBA playoff betting.
NBA ATS Pick: 76ers 117, Heat 104
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