Will the decision to include Joel Embiid in the first round of the Philadelphia 76th playoff game be correct?

 Will the decision to include Joel Embiid in the first round of the Philadelphia 76th playoff game be correct?

The decision to use Joel Embiid in the Philadelphia 76ers' first round, when they were 29 with four minutes left, would cost the 76ers dearly.

• Embiid suffered an orbital rupture late in that game. He will not travel with the team for the first two games of an Eastern Conference semifinal against the Miami Heat. There is optimism that he could return through Game 3, but it's not guaranteed. The series may be over by the time it's ready to return.
• Gamblers need to figure out how good the 76ers are without Embiid. The 76ers are a 7.5-point underdog at BetMGM against Miami, the top seed in the East.
• The Heat has been very good all season and it will be difficult for Philadelphia to win this season without one of the top three NBA MVP candidates. The series odds have the Heat at -350, and it wouldn't have been close if Embiid was playing. Miami is very good, and it also caught a huge break.
• However, we also see teams gathering for at least one game when they sustain a serious injury. The 76ers are not devoid of talent with James Harden, Tyrese Maxey and others. But it's a different team. Philadelphia was 6-8 without Embiid this season and 45-23 with him.
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• I have a lot of respect for Miami, but I think Philadelphia plays hard and Harden and Maxey keep them somewhat close. They don't turn into the Orlando Magic just because Embiid is out; it's still a solid team. And if the 76ers can't get close on Monday, it could be a short run. 

Here are the sports bets for Monday:

Mavericks try to hold out against the Suns

The Dallas Mavericks have been very good for a few weeks now. The trade of Kristaps Porzingis changed the roster, and for the better. The Mavs managed to pass the Utah Jazz even without Luka Doncic before the start of the series.

And yet they are 5.5-point underdogs against the Phoenix Suns for Game 1 on Monday.

The Mavs lost all three encounters with the Suns this season and none were particularly close. However, if momentum matters, the Mavs may have a chance to beat Monday and, if you're aggressive, cause a massive disruption in the series. The Mavs are +240 to win the series against Phoenix.

NHL playoffs start with four games

Playoff hockey is phenomenal, and it starts in the NHL with four games on Monday. The Boston Bruins are with the Carolina Panthers (-120), the Tampa Bay Lightning is with the Toronto Maple Leafs (-130) in a great matchup, the St. Louis Blues are with the Minnesota Wild (-145) and the Los Angeles Kings are with the Edmonton Oilers (-190).

The first round of the NHL playoffs is generally more unpredictable than the first round of the NBA playoffs. However, there are a few interesting series in the first round. ESPN, which will show all four games on its networks on Monday, should have plenty of drama.

A short baseball schedule

We only get eight MLB games on Monday, with two afternoon games. In the afternoon, the St. Louis Cardinals (-160) host the Kansas City Royals and the Chicago White Sox (-125), and the Los Angeles Angels conclude their series.

Both New York teams have good division runs this week. The Yankees (-115) are traveling to the Toronto Blue Jays, and the Mets (-115) are hosting the Atlanta Braves.

What is the Best Guess?

While I like Toronto's baseball and hockey teams on Mondays, I go with the Mavericks on 5.5 points. The Suns are very good, but I like how the Mavs have played lately and think they can cover.