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The Philadelphia 76ers will look to continue a phenomenal season as they head down to New Orleans to take on the reeling Pelicans. It’s time to continue our NBA odds series and make a 76ers-Pelicans prediction and pick. Philadelphia has won three of their last four, despite Joel Embiid's absence in two of those games. New Orleans has lost four of their last five games, with their only win coming against the Houston Rockets.
Here’s how sportsbooks have set the opening 76ers-Pelicans odds.
NBA Odds: 76ers-Pelicans Odds
Philadelphia 76ers -7.5 (-110)
New Orleans Pelicans +7.5 (-110)
Over 228 Points (-110)
Under 228 Points (-110)
Why The 76ers Could Cover The Spread
The Philadelphia 76ers are in a neck-and-neck battle with the Brooklyn Nets for the top spot in the Eastern Conference. They only hold a half-game lead over Brooklyn coming into this game against the Pelicans. The 76ers are coming off of a nice 10-point victory over the Boston Celtics in their last game. Joel Embiid led the way for Philly with 35 points on 9-19 shooting in the win. This was Philadelphia's third win since we turned our calendars to April.
Philly has been playing great team basketball, but hasn't seen the bench production that they'd like. The bench only contributed 23 points in the win against Boston. They will need much better play from the reserves if they want to beat the rest of the east come playoff time. Despite the struggles, the 76ers have continued their success behind their defensive and rebounding prowess. They've only allowed 109.4 points per game and are currently the fifth-best rebounding team in the NBA. With many doubtful for the Pelicans, look for Philly to smother New Orleans tonight.
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Why The Pelicans Could Cover The Spread
The New Orleans Pelicans have been going through a very rough five-game stretch. They only have one win in their last five against arguably the worst team in the league. The Pelicans have to be hoping that a win against the Houston Rockets can ignite some sort of life down the stretch. They certainly didn't help their cause as they lost to the Harden-less Nets by 28 points in their last game. Zion Williamson will have to put the team on his back and drop at least 40 in this game against Philly.
Zion Williamson had a hard time doing much of anything against the Brooklyn Nets. The loaded Nets front court was able to hold Zion to just 16 points and things won't get much easier for the sophomore in a matchup against Joel Embiid's 76ers. Zion has had a terrific season and is capable of willing his team to victory on any given night. He will need to pick up the slack if Brandon Ingram is out of the lineup. One thing New Orleans has going for them is their success against Philadelphia in recent history. The Pelicans are 4-2 SU in their last six home games against the 76ers.
Final 76ers-Pelicans Prediction & Pick
I was amazed to see that bettors have actually created more value for Philadelphia since the line opened at -8. Not sure what many have seen as New Orleans will likely be without some key contributors against the 76ers. We can't overlook just how bad the Pelicans have been of late. On the other end, the Philadelphia 76ers are in the thick of a crucial battle for the first seed in the East and will be motivated to take care of business in a big way tonight. Brooklyn just destroyed this team in their last game. With Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons together and healthy, look for a comfortable double-digit road victory for the 76ers.
FINAL PICK: Philadelphia 76ers -7.5 (-110)
