The Miami Heat Have to Prepare For MVP Frontrunner Joel Embiid After Monster Performance

The Miami Heat continue their quest at getting out of the play-in bracket but it won’t be easy.

Miami had the luxury of playing the league-worst Detroit Pistons (16-63) Tuesday night. Now they will have to prepare for Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid, who is competing for his first MVP award after arguably being snubbed twice in a row.

Embiid is coming off a 52-point performance in the Sixers’ win against the Boston Celtics. The performance had many declaring the MVP conversation “over,” including Sixers coach Doc Rivers. Embiid accounted for more than half of Philadelphia’s scoring Tuesday night.

This is nothing new for Embiid, who leads the league in scoring averaging 33.3 points.

Embiid had 27 points the last time he faced Miami, but the Heat were able to withhold Philadelphia with strong defense and last-second efforts from Butler. The Heat will need that same team effort to continue climbing the standings, or stay as the top seed in the play-in tournament.

Miami plays the Sixers Thursday night.

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Jayden Armant is a contributor to Inside the Heat. He is a student at Howard University. He can be reached at jayden.armant@bison.howard.edu or follow him on Twitter @jaydenarmant.