The return of Joel Embiid has brought life back to this Sixers team. The Phantom of the Process has made his return and was able to lead the Sixers to a Game 3 victory over the Heat. The Sixers have little time to enjoy the victory as they are back in action for Game 4 tonight. Miami holds the series advantage 2-1 with tonight’s game tipping off in Philadelphia. There is a lot on the line in Game 4 as the Sixers have a chance to even the series at two wins apiece.
Injury Report:
Sixers:
- Joel Embiid: Questionable (orbital)
- Isaiah Joe: Questionable (ankle)
Heat:
- Kyle Lowry: Questionable
- Gabe Vincent: Questionable
- PJ Tucker: Questionable
- Max Strus: Questionable
- Tyler Herro: Questionable
- Caleb Martin: Questionable
- Dewayne Dedmon: Questionable
The Heat have a strange tendency to list just about every player on their injury report. Each of these players has been listed on the injury report for each game this series and has been able to suit up. Kyle Lowry missed the first two games but returned for Game 3 and is expected to play moving forward.
The status of Isaiah Joe is uncertain as he seemingly picked up an ankle sprain this week. This is not a major concern for Philadelphia as Joe has played a total of just 6 minutes in the series.
Betting odds:
Sixers -2, -130 Moneyline, over/under 208. Heat +110 Moneyline
It was unfortunate that the Sixers went down 2-0 in the series largely due to the absence of Joel Embiid. While Embiid did not have a stellar performance in his return, his presence changes everything for the Sixers. The series is now in full swing and the outlook greatly changed with the Sixers superstar back on the court.
Game 4 is a must-win for the Sixers if they hope to find a way to win the series. The team will look to feed off the energy of the home crowd and secure another victory. The improved defensive effort in Game 3 led to a convincing 99-79 victory. They must continue this effort if they hope to even the series.
There have only been 13 teams in NBA history to come back from a 3-1 deficit, so this will be a momentum-changing game. Expect the Sixers to come out ready to play and even up the series. It obviously is not ideal to go down 2-0 in a series, but the Sixers are not in the worst position. If they are able to tie the series and turn it into a best of three series they certainly have a chance. They must make sure this is a possibility by taking care of business tonight.
Photo by Melissa Tamez/Icon Sportswire
