Heat Catching Fire Ahead of Christmas Contest
76ers vs Heat NBA Odds
It’s an all-Eastern Conference matchup on Christmas Day with the Philadelphia 76ers vs Miami Heat.
The latest 76ers vs Heat NBA odds have the Heat at -1, so a close game is expected.
Miami has started to find form, but the 76ers are one of the best teams in the conference, so the NBA line is close.
76ers vs Heat 
Location: Kaseya Center
Day/Time:
76ers Rare Underdogs
The 76ers aren’t underdogs often, so loyal bettors could jump on the 76ers vs Heat NBA odds.
They have an excellent winning record, and we were impressed with their recent win over the Minnesota Timberwolves. That win came at home, but they’re good enough to win on the road as well.
They have an 8-4 road record, and their NBA Championship odds aren’t lengthening. There has been solid betting support for Joel Embiid and his team to win the championship, and it’s tough to disagree.
Getting the 76ers at a +1 line could be too good to pass up, and with Embiid scoring 34.4 points per game, they’re tough to beat.
We were also impressed with their 135-82 road win over Charlotte, where Embiid had 42 points.
“When he just brings the ball up the court and plays 1-on-1, there’s really not much you can do,” coach Steve Clifford said. “He does it out of the flow. Centers are having to do something they normally don’t have to do (on defense).”
Heat Getting Hot
The Heat have been tough to back this year, but we liked what we saw when they defeated the Orlando Magic.
Most of their losses have been close, so we can’t complain too much, and they’re the -1 favorite with 76ers vs Heat NBA odds for a reason.
Their NBA scores have been close, and they usually improve as the season progresses, which could be bad news for the 76ers.
Backing the Heat at home is always better than on the road. They might be only 7-6, but they should fancy themselves to beat the 76ers, providing they lock up Embiid in the paint.
Miami has the size with Bam Adebayo to keep Embiid from scoring over 40 points, and it’s one of the better defensive NBA teams.
It could pay to watch for late betting moves, but the Heat should start as favorites.
Heat Locking In at Home
We like backing the Heat at home, and although the 76ers are always tough to bet against, we’re going against them here.
Home teams often perform best on Christmas Day because there is pressure to perform, and the Heat has handled pressure nicely over the last few years.
Jimmy Butler is an important player, and although he has come under an injury cloud recently, he should be healthy for this game.
We’re taking the Heat -1 and the under. The defense should stack up nicely in this game, which plays to the hands of the Heat, who can lock down on defense and stifle the 76ers.
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