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

Prediction

Embiid cheers from the sideline in the Sixers' 132-130 win over the Cavs

The absence of Embiid makes this series more interesting than it would have been if he'd played all the games. Nevertheless, the Sixers have shown their ability to dominate good teams without him in their last 7 games of their 16-game winning streak, which Embiid missed with orbital fracture injury.

Combine this with the fact that they hold homecourt advantage and the red-hot shooting form that Belinelli, Redick, and Ilyasova have displayed in the past couple of weeks, and you'd be hard-pressed not to give the nod to the Sixers in this series.

Yet, the Heat will pose all kinds of threats to the young Sixers and will push them to the limit in every single game. The likes of Dwyane Wade, Dragic, J-Rich and James Johnson know no other way than to hustle every single second on the court, and they'll win at least 2 games in this series.

Verdict: The Philadelphia 76ers beat the Miami Heat 4-2 to advance to the Conference Semifinals