NBA personality Shaquille O’Neal exhibits significant faith in the Miami Heat.
NBA personality Shaquille O’Neal expressed his belief that the Miami Heat would defeat the Philadelphia 76ers in the Play-In Tournament to secure the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference.
During the NBA Game Break on TNT, Charles Barkley initiated the discussion by suggesting that if the 76ers retained the seventh spot, they could potentially defeat the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round of the playoffs. O’Neal, however, expressed doubt regarding Barkley’s assessment of his former team.
O’Neal firmly stated, “They are not beating the Heat in a playoff series,” highlighting his confidence in Jimmy Butler and the Heat’s capabilities.
Despite some disagreement from the panel, O’Neal reiterated his stance, asserting that the Heat would prevail over the 76ers “all day every day.”
Throughout the season, the Heat and the 76ers have faced each other four times, with the series resulting in a split. Notably, all four games were decided by a margin of seven points or less.
With the 76ers currently holding a slight advantage in the standings, being one game ahead of the Heat for the seventh seed, any potential Play-In matchup would take place at the Wells Fargo Center.
O’Neal’s confidence in the Heat stems from their recent postseason success, particularly their journey to the NBA Finals in 2023 after narrowly securing a playoff berth. Additionally, the Heat defeated the 76ers in six games during their run to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2022.
As the regular season winds down, the 76ers have two remaining games against the Orlando Magic and the Brooklyn Nets, while the Heat will host the Toronto Raptors for their final two matchups of the year.
