Halftime Report

Only two more quarters stand between the Heat and the victory they were favored to collect coming into this evening. They have a bit of a cushion as they currently lead the 76ers 63-49.

If the Heat keep playing like this, they'll bump their record up to 18-12 in no time. On the other hand, the 76ers will have to make due with a 20-9 record unless they turn things around (and fast).

Who's Playing

Philadelphia 76ers @ Miami Heat

Current Records: Philadelphia 20-8, Miami 17-12

How To Watch

  • When: Monday, December 25, 2023 at 8 p.m. ET
  • Where: Kaseya Center -- Miami, Florida
  • TV: ESPN
  • Follow: CBS Sports App
  • Online streaming: fuboTV (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)
  • Ticket Cost: $89.99

What to Know

The 76ers have enjoyed a three-game homestand but will soon have to dust off their road jerseys. They will wrap up 2023 with a road trip to face off against the Miami Heat at 8:00 p.m. ET on Monday at Kaseya Center. Both teams come into the game bolstered by wins in their previous matches.

Winning is just a little bit easier when your three-point shooting is a whole 17.9% better than the opposition, a fact the 76ers proved on Friday. They came out on top against Toronto by a score of 121-111. The victory came about thanks to a strong surge starting at the 4:51 mark of the first quarter, when the 76ers were facing a 27-12 deficit.

Multiple players turned in solid performances to lead the 76ers to victory, but perhaps none more so than Joel Embiid, who almost dropped a triple-double on 31 points, ten rebounds, and nine assists. The game was Embiid's 14th in a row with at least 30 points. Tobias Harris was another key contributor, scoring 33 points along with eight rebounds and seven assists.

Meanwhile, Miami beat Atlanta 122-113 on Friday. That's two games straight that the Heat have won by exactly nine points.

The Heat got their win on the backs of several key players, but it was Duncan Robinson out in front who scored 27 points. As a matter of fact, that's the most points Robinson has scored all season.

Philadelphia is on a roll lately: they've won eight of their last nine contests, which provided a nice bump to their 20-8 record this season. As for Miami, the win makes it two in a row for them and bumps their season record up to 17-12.

This contest is one where the number of possessions is likely to be a big factor: The 76ers haven't given up the ball easily this season, having only averaged 12.3 turnovers per game. However, it's not like the Heat struggle in that department as they've been averaging only 12.6 turnovers per game. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.

The 76ers are hoping to beat the odds on Monday, as the experts think they're headed for a loss. For those looking to play the spread, keep Philadelphia in mind: they have a solid 20-8 record against the spread this season.

Odds

Miami is a 3-point favorite against Philadelphia, according to the latest NBA odds.

The line has drifted a bit towards the Heat, as the game opened with the Heat as a 1.5-point favorite.


The over/under is set at 225.5 points.

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Series History

Miami has won 6 out of their last 10 games against Philadelphia.

  • Apr 06, 2023 - Miami 129 vs. Philadelphia 101
  • Mar 01, 2023 - Philadelphia 119 vs. Miami 96
  • Feb 27, 2023 - Miami 101 vs. Philadelphia 99
  • May 12, 2022 - Miami 99 vs. Philadelphia 90
  • May 10, 2022 - Miami 120 vs. Philadelphia 85
  • May 08, 2022 - Philadelphia 116 vs. Miami 108
  • May 06, 2022 - Philadelphia 99 vs. Miami 79
  • May 04, 2022 - Miami 119 vs. Philadelphia 103
  • May 02, 2022 - Miami 106 vs. Philadelphia 92
  • Mar 21, 2022 - Philadelphia 113 vs. Miami 106