Philadelphia 76ers vs. Miami Heat: 3 big questions and a prediction

Can Joel Embiid find a way to carry his Philadelphia 76ers and escape the Miami Heat? 

Playoff basketball requires a team effort, and one individual cannot do all the heavy lifting. Philadelphia’s big man, Joel Embid will have to play the best basketball of his career if he wants to make it to the Conference Finals.

Embiid is going to have to take over in the second round. Miami has multiple players who are not afraid to guard Embiid. Through six games played so far, he’s averaging 26.2 points and 11.3 rebounds per game.

For the second year in a row, it looks like Embiid is going to fall just short of being the league’s Most Valuable Player (MVP). This could be a possible chip on his shoulder and can use it as motivation. Having a dominant second round could help change the narrative.

In round one, Embiid only played 39 minutes per game. I expect that number to increase as Philly is going to need him on the court more often than not.

Getting past Miami will be a challenge for Philly. The 76ers are going to need great intensity on both sides of the ball. Role players will need to step up and contribute. Veterans like James Harden and Tobias Harris need to play their best basketball.