Poll: Philadelphia 76ers Vs. Miami Heat

The Sixers and Heat will tip off Game 1 of their second-round series on Monday in Miami. Both teams are coming off wins against two talented teams, the Raptors and the Hawks, and the clubs will meet in the postseason for the third time in the last 11 years.

Miami finished as the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference this season at 53-29. Meanwhile, Philadelphia ranked fourth in the East at 51-31 and went 14-7 in the games James Harden played. Both clubs should be considered legitimate title contenders.

In addition, both teams are dealing with injuries. The Sixers will be without Joel Embiid (mild concussion and orbital fracture), though he could return later in the series. Miami has several players who are listed as questionable (including Jimmy Butler) and won’t have starting point guard Kyle Lowry in Game 1 due to a hamstring strain.

When examining the rosters, Philadelphia has the edge with its starting lineup at full strength. Tyrese Maxey, Harden, Tobias Harris and Embiid combined to score 84.3 points per game in the team’s first-round series. The next highest scorer was Danny Green (9.0 points), who started every game. Teams have also struggled to keep Harden and Embiid off the line. They combined to attempt 17 free throws per game in round one.

Miami’s strengths lie in its defense and depth. The team effectively took Trae Young out of its first-round series, forcing Young to average 15.4 points and 6.2 turnovers on 32% shooting. It held Atlanta to an average of 97.4 points across five games. The club also struck into its elite bench, receiving 23 points from Victor Oladipo to close the series. Oladipo played alongside Tyler Herro, who’s the front-runner for Sixth Man of the Year.

Which team will win the series and advance to the Eastern Conference Finals? We want to know what you think. Vote in our poll, then head to the comments section and weigh in with your thoughts!