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Two of the top four teams in the Eastern Conference square off as the Philadelphia 76ers head south to take on the Orlando Magic. Below is our NBA odds series as ClutchPoints hands out a 76ers-Magic prediction and pick. ClutchPoints will also let you know how to watch the game.
Without Joel Embiid, the 76ers lost on Christmas Day to a Jimmy Butler-less Miami Heat, 119-113, thanks to a stellar performance from rookie Jaime Jaquez Jr. Tobias Harris led all Philadelphia scorers with 27 points on 10-of-18 shooting, while Kelly Oubre Jr. added 25 points. The two forwards stepped up huge in Embiid's absence, as well as Tyrese Maxey's cold shooting night. Maxey shot just 4-of-20 from the field, including 1-of-8 from long distance and finished with just 12 points on the evening.
Meanwhile, the Magic are coming off a 127-119 victory over the Washington Wizards on Tuesday. Rookie Anthony Black scored a career-high 23 points to go along with four three-pointers. Franz Wagner finished with a near-triple double, scoring 28 points, grabbing eight rebounds, and dishing out nine assists. Paolo Banchero added 24 points and eight boards.
Here are the NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NBA Odds: 76ers-Magic Odds
Philadelphia 76ers: +2 (-114)
Orlando Magic: -2 (-106)
Over: 228 (-108)
Under: 228 (-112)
How To Watch 76ers vs. Magic
Time: 7:00 PM ET/ 4:00 PM PT
TV: NBC Sports Philadelphia, Bally Sports Florida
Stream: fuboTV (Click for free trial)
Why The 76ers Could Cover The Spread
The Philadelphia 76ers hold a 20-9 record against the spread, including 8-5 away from Wells Fargo Center. Sixers games have also gone over the point total in 20 of their 29 games this season, including nine of 13 on the road.
The Magic just played Tuesday night. So the Sixers will enter this game with rest advantage. They have gone 2-0 against the spread with such.
Philly's biggest advantage, however, should come on the offensive end. The Sixers boast the No. 2 offense in the league, while the Magic rank just 18th in offensive rating this season.
Unfortunately, the Sixers will once again miss Joel Embiid, who was already ruled out with an ankle injury even two days prior. That's 35 points Philadelphia will need to find elsewhere. Embiid's absence drastically changes Philly's dynamic on both ends of the floor, but the Sixers have plenty of depth and talent who have proven that they can step up when needed.
That's exactly what Tobias Harris and Kelly Oubre Jr. did on Christmas, so look for them to stay aggressive and carry the momentum from their strong performances. Likewise, look for Tyrese Maxey to bounce back from one of his worst performances of the season as he goes up against Orlando's No. 4 rated defense that features a pesky Jalen Suggs, who is slowly establishing himself as one of the top perimeter defenders in the NBA.
Aside from Embiid, the Sixers will also be without Nicolas Batum, who is still nursing a hamstring strain.
Why The Magic Could Cover The Spread
Like Philadelphia, Orlando has been one of the top teams in covering the spread this season. The Magic are also 20-9 against the spread and are 10-3 in front of their home fans. They are also 9-2 so far as favorites. Meanwhile, Orlando only has an over/under record of 14-15 this year. Magic games at Amway Center have gone above the point total six of 13 times.
Joel Embiid's absence should be Orlando's biggest advantage for Wednesday night. Without the big man in the middle, the Magic can feast in the paint, where they do most of their damage. On the season, Orlando scores 55.9 points in the paint, which ranks third in the NBA. The Magic score the most field goals within five feet (23.5), while shooting 65.0 percent.
Paolo Banchero has been up and down as of late, but he does have two 30-point outings over his last four games. He scored 34 points against Indiana last weekend and dropped 36 points versus the Boston Celtics on 10 days ago.
Franz Wagner has also found his rhythm offensively over his previous two outings. Wagner scored 29 points on 13-of-23 shooting on Dec. 21 against the Bucks, and followed that up with a 24-point performance versus Indiana.
In terms of injuries, the Magic remain without Markelle Fultz and Joe Ingles for Wednesday's game.
Final 76ers-Magic Prediction & Pick
I'd take the Magic to get the upset in this one. Joel Embiid is a huge loss for Philly and without its paint protector, the Magic could get a bunch of points inside the paint, with their tendency to score more near the basket. Likewise, they are one of the better home teams in the NBA with an 11-3 record at Amway Center. Take the under, as well considering the Sixers don't have Embiid and these two teams are two of the better defenses in the league.
Final 76ers-Magic Prediction & Pick: Orlando Magic: +2 (-114); Under 228 (-112)
