Miami Heat Playoffs Roundtable: Philly/Toronto Round 2 Preference- Jimuel’s Take
If you were to ask me who would I rather face in the second round of the NBA Playoffs between the Philadelphia 76ers and the Toronto Raptors, it would have to be the Sixers.
Jimuel’s Take (@IvanCedo) – Philadelphia 76ers
While they don’t have two dominant superstars, with Van Vleet out, the Raptors have a better chance of winning against the Heat. James Harden has been struggling since coming over to join the Sixers.
So far, he’s averaging 18.4 points and is only shooting 37.3 percent from the field. Another reason why I would pick the Sixers is the unknown injury status of the torn ligament in Joel Embiid’s thumb.
While Toronto is a young team, they are a much more gritty and defensive-minded team than Philadelphia. There is a chance that Toronto could pull an upset against the Philadelphia 76ers with the Sixers currently leading the series 3-2, with momentum being as strong as ever.
The Raptors also have big men that can compete and go 1-on-1 against the big men of the Heat. Ironically enough, Precious Achiuwa has been a revelation for Toronto.
it wouldn’t be shocking to see a Raptors-Heat series go to Game 7, as both teams are fairly matched. That’s, also, why you shouldn’t prefer that matchup.
Though the Heat would still have an advantage by having both Kyle Lowry and Jimmy Butler in the series, things could get tricky with those guys. With all of that said, Philadelphia would be the preferred matchup for the Miami Heat.