2018 NBA Playoffs Preview: Philadelphia 76ers vs Miami Heat, SWOT Analysis & Prediction

Opportunities and Threats

Philadelphia 76ers

The Sixers are a big team in both size and ability

The Sixers' pure size is a mismatch for nearly every other NBA team. Joel Embiid (when he comes back) is a 7'2" monster. Ben Simmons and Dario Saric are both 6'10", while Robert Covington at 6'9" is taller and lengthier than most small forwards in the game. Putting the rock in the hands of Saric, Embiid or Simmons after switching them onto smaller players gives them a great shot at a made basket.

The 76ers have 2 elite 3-point shooters in Redick and Belinelli, while the likes of Covington, Saric, Fultz and even Embiid have the ability to knock down open 3-point shots. They could win the game from the 3-point line on their night.

Ben Simons will have to be wary of the defensive schemes he faces, since the Heat have a roster full of capable defenders who will sag off him if he's 18 feet or farther from the hoop and act as free safety nets - this is the very tactic that Spoelstra used with considerable success during the 108-99 win the Heat secured over the 76ers. His lack of a jump shot will hurt the Sixers much more in the playoffs than it did in the regular season.

Miami Heat

The Heat are an astute defensive team

The Heat have to take advantage of whatever period of time Embiid is off the court - especially the first game which he will miss. With the frontcourt they have, they can dominate the likes of Ilyasova and Amir Johnson on the boards, while racking up points in the paint.

Their bench unit has a net rating of 2.3 points per 100 possessions and ranks 7th in the league, while the Sixers' bench unit's -0.6 net rating ranks 16th in the league. The Heat could make runs of their own when the starters of both teams sit in the 2nd and 3rd quarters of games.

One of their biggest threats is the propensity of Hassan Whiteside and Kelly Olynyk to rack up early fouls, hampering their play in the first halves of games. Rookie Bam Adebayo, while a decent rotation player, will not be able to guard Embiid, who's bulkier than him and has elite skills for a big man.