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The Philadelphia 76ers begin a three-game road trip as they take on the Cleveland Cavaliers in a Sunday night showdown. It's time to continue our NBA odds series with a 76ers-Cavaliers prediction and pick.
The 76ers demolished the Charlotte Hornets 144-114 at home on Saturday. Philadelphia snapped a three-game skid in colossal fashion. After building a five-point lead at halftime, the Sixers exploded in the second half and grew their lead. Joel Embiid helped them get there with 29 points on 12 for 16 shooting. Additionally, he grabbed 14 rebounds. In addition to that, James Harden chipped in 12 points and 13 assists. Furthermore, the 76ers shot 60.9 percent from the floor and 48.8 percent from the 3-point line. They converted 17 of 22 shots in the third quarter. Similarly, Tobias Harris scored 23 points with a season-high five 3-pointers. Also, Philadelphia dominated the boards, outrebounding Charlotte 47-32. Philadelphia is 47-30 and a half-game behind the Boston Celtics for third place in the Eastern Conference.
The Cavaliers won 119-101 at Madison Square Garden over the New York Knicks. The Cavs grabbed the lead for good in the second quarter and never trailed. Darius Garland scored 24 points. He hit five shots from beyond the arc and also had 13 assists. Likewise, Moses Brown scored 16 points and pulled down 13 rebounds. Kevin Love came off the bench with 15 points. Cleveland shot 54 percent from the field. Moreover, they held New York to 40.3 percent shooting. Amazingly, the Cavs hit 44 percent from the triples and won the rebounding battle 44-35. Thus, the Cavs are 42-35 and two games behind the Chicago Bulls for the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference.
Courtesy of FanDuel, here are the 76ers-Cavaliers NBA odds:
NBA Odds: 76ers-Cavaliers Odds
76ers: -4.5 (-110)
Cavaliers: +4.5 (-110)
Over: 224 (-110)
Under: 224 (-110)
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Why The 76ers Could Cover The Spread
Philadelphia destroyed Charlotte last night. Now, the 76ers attempt to dominate a team for the second day in a row. Also, the 76ers can sweep the Cavs with a win. Lately, the trend has been simple. When Embiid and Harden catch fire, the 76ers come alive. On March 16, 2022, the 76ers defeated the Cavaliers 118-114 in Cleveland. In that game, neither Embiid nor Harden were the stars. It was Tyrese Maxey who came alive for Philadelphia, scoring 33 points. Embiid scored 22, and Harden added 25. However, Maxey carried the 76ers as the Cavs hung around. To beat the spread, the 76ers need the dominant versions of Embiid and Harden.
Also, Philadelphia should win the battle on the boards. The 76ers are at their best when they grab rebounds and convert shots. Despite ranking 29th in the league in rebounds, the 76ers have won a few games recently by winning this battle. While Philadelphia ranks 18th in the NBA in shooting percentage, it has shown it can catch fire.
The 76ers will cover the spread if Embiid and Harden dominate, they win the rebounding battle, and convert their field-goal opportunities. They will find themselves against a tough defense. However, the 76ers have gone 7-3 against the Cavaliers over 10 games. If they do all these things, the 76ers will complete the season sweep.
Why The Cavaliers Could Cover The Spread
Cleveland almost beat Philadelphia last time. It came close but ultimately faltered down the stretch. Now, they must avoid the sweep. To do that, Cleveland has to take down Embiid and Harden. They almost accomplished the monumental task last time.
In the recent loss last month, Philadelphia won three categories that determined the game. They won field-goal shooting percentage, free-throw shooting percentage, and 3-point shooting percentage. Statistically, the Cavs are better than the 76ers at field-goal shooting, where they rank ninth. But for the Cavs, they must also excel at their free throws and long-range shooting. Garland must step up.
Garland leads the team in scoring averaging 21.5 points per game. He also has been a distribution king, averaging 8.7 assists per game. This is the moment where Garland must carry the Cavs on his back. With Jarrett Allen still out with injury, this has become Garland's team, and beating the 76ers would be a huge momentum boost. The Cavaliers should cover the spread if they contain Embiid and Harden. Also, they will cover if Garland dominates and if they can limit turnovers. Philadelphia is second in ball-handling while Cleveland is 20th. The Cavs have to narrow the gap to cover.
Final 76ers-Cavaliers Prediction & Pick
The 76ers have not dominated many teams on the road lately. In the last six away games, Philadelphia is 3-3. They have won by more than four points in one. Objectively, the 76ers are the better team. If these teams were to meet in the playoffs, the 76ers would likely win. However, their recent run has provided questions. Conversely, the Cavs have struggled at home recently. They are 4-4 in the last eight home games. Additionally, one of those losses was an 11-point defeat at the hands of the Los Angeles Lakers. If the Cavs had Allen and Evan Mobley available, this would be a Cleveland win. Unfortunately, both will sit. Ultimately, the 76ers cover the spread.
Final 76ers-Cavaliers Prediction & Pick: 76ers -4.5 (-110)
