2011 NBA Playoff Picks Easter Sunday: Miami Heat Living Up to Expectations

Free NBA Playoffs Picks and Odds: Game 4 Miami Heat @ Philadelphia 76ers Favorite, Moneyline, Total and Predictions 4/24/11: For all the ups and down experienced by the Miami Heat during the course of the regular season, the team is finally hitting its stride when it counts. LeBron James and company have a 3-0 lead on the Philadelphia 76ers, heading into Game 4 at Philadelphia sunday at 1PM EST. Coming in looking for the sweep, it is no surprise that the Heat are favored in today’s game. The surprise is that Miami is only being favored by 6 points.

Based on the numbers alone, the 6 points spread is too small. The teams have met six times, including the three playoff games, and the Heat have won all six games by at least six points including five by at least 8 points. Six games isn’t a huge sample size, but it is a pretty good indication of how these two teams stack up, and it is obvious that Miami is the better team.

Looking at the roster of both clubs, it’s not hard to see why. LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and the resurgent Chris Bosh are all better than anyone that Philadelphia can put on the court. The Sixers’ supposed go-to guy Andre Iguodala managed only five points in the Game 2 loss and came back with just 10 points on 3-10 shooting in Game 3. Perhaps the biggest indictment on the Philadelphia roster during this series is that James, Wade and Bosh each outscored the entire starting five for the Sixers in the first half of Game 2.

In other words, the talent gap between the two clubs is substantial. Going on the road didn’t change the situation either for Miami in Game 3’s 100-94 win. Dwayne Wade and Lebron James combined to dominate the 76ers with Wade going off for 32 points, 10 rebounds and 8 assists while James poured in 24 points with 15 rebounds and 6 dimes.

The series opener should give bettors even more confidence to back the Heat in this one. Miami was nothing short of awful in Game 1 against the Sixers, falling behind by double digits and looking completely disinterested on both ends of the court in the first quarter. However, the Heat turned it on and had grabbed the lead by halftime and were comfortably ahead in the third quarter. They got complacent in the fourth quarter, letting Philadelphia climb within a point, but the Heat still pulled away at the end to win by eight. Even at their worst, the final margin of victory was still more than 6 points.

There is no doubt that the Heat are the better team in this one, and the current spread(check latest NBA Odds at SBG Global Sportsbook) should have bettors running to put money down. Miami has covered or pushed on that spread in all six contests with the Sixers this year, and there is no reason to believe they won’t keep that record unblemished sunday afternoon. If anything, the Heat are playing their best ball of the year, making the spread even more inviting.

Free Pick: Miami Heat -6
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