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The Philadelphia 76ers head to the Motor City to take on the Detroit Pistons in a Thursday night showdown. It's time to continue our NBA odds series with a 76ers-Pistons prediction and pick.
The 76ers lost a nail-biter to the Milwaukee Bucks 118-116 on Tuesday night. With seconds ticking off the clock, the 76ers had multiple chances to tie or win the game. First, James Harden attempted a 3-pointer that flailed off the bottom of the backboard. Joel Embiid grabbed the rebound and tried to put it back in. Giannis Antetokounmpo denied him, blocking his put-back attempt with 1.6 seconds left in the game to seal the victory for the Bucks. Because of this, the 76ers fell to 46-29 and now sit in third place in the Eastern Conference, one game behind the Bucks for second place, with seven games left to play. Harden finished with 32 points on nine rebounds. Additionally, Embiid completed the game with 29 points, 14 rebounds, and seven assists.
The Pistons fell 130-123 to the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday night. Kevin Durant torched the Pistons for 41 points. Durant shot 14 for 23 from the floor, hitting four 3-pointers. In addition to that, Durant hit all nine free-throw attempts, piled down 11 rebounds, and had five assists. He and Kyrie Irving helped engineer a double-digit comeback, as the Pistons had a 12-point lead late in the second quarter. Cade Cunningham scored 34 points for the Pistons and continues to be a candidate for rookie-of-the-year considerations. Despite Cunningham's best efforts, the Pistons remain one of the worst teams in the NBA and have gone 2-9 over 11 games.
Courtesy of FanDuel, here are the 76ers-Pistons NBA odds:
NBA Odds: 76ers-Pistons Odds
76ers: -10 (-110)
Pistons: +10 (-110)
Over: 223 (-110)
Under: 223 (-110)
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Why The 76ers Could Cover The Spread
Philadelphia has playoff aspirations and still has a small shot at the number one seed. Moreover, the Sixers have dominated the Pistons. Philadelphia is 10-1 against Detroit over its last 11 games. So far this season, the 76ers won both games. Of the remaining seven games, two are against Detroit, and Philadelphia has a new weapon in Harden.
Additionally, the 76ers are a fully healthy team in this matchup. In addition to Embiid and Harden, Philadelphia also has Tyrese Maxey. In the last meeting, Maxey scored 20 points, shooting 8 for 12 from the field. Maxey has been a revelation for the 76ers this season, even before they acquired Harden from the Nets. He is one of the main reasons the 76ers dominated despite Embiid being the lone megastar earlier in the season. But the 76ers command the ball well and convert their free-throw attempts.
The 76ers are the top team in the NBA in turnovers. They do not make many mistakes while ballhandling. In addition to that, Philadelphia is the top-rated team in free throw percentage. Good teams can take advantage of sloppy ballhandling and make bad teams pay for errors in judgment. That could be the difference here. The 76ers could cover the spread if it gets to the line and forces Detroit and its young core into multiple mistakes.
Why The Pistons Could Cover The Spread
Detroit has played opponents tough lately. Despite the 3-game losing streak, the Pistons lost all three by seven or fewer points. In the previous two losses before, Detroit lost by a combined eight points. The Pistons even hung tough with the top-rated Miami Heat earlier this month, losing 105-98 in South Florida. The Pistons have lost by 10 or more points one time this month, which was an 11-point loss to the Boston Celtics at the TD Garden. Suffice to say, Detroit is playing hard to end the season.
Also, take into account the two previous games with the 76ers. The Pistons lost the game in Philadelphia by 11. They lost the game at home by nine. The Pistons lost by 10 or more points twice in the past nine home games against the 76ers. Because of this, there is a pattern that shows that Detroit plays Philadelphia tough. Cunningham and Saddiq Bey are the keys here. With Jerami Grant out for the season with a calf strain, Cunningham and Bey take the reigns. Along with Cunningham's 34-point performance against Brooklyn, Bey chipped in 15 points.
The Pistons could cover the spread if Cunningham and Bey convert their chances and hit their shots. Despite the loss of Grant, the Pistons are still playing hard and could surprise Philadelphia.
Final 76ers-Pistons Prediction & Pick
This is a compelling game. The 76ers have won on the road by more than 10 points just one time in its last four road victories. Other than the blowout win over the Clippers, the 76ers have struggled to build substantial leads and blow teams out of the water, Likewise, Detroit has played hard and made teams earn their wins. Detroit might lose, but they will cover the spread.
Final 76ers-Pistons Prediction & Pick: Pistons +10 (-110)
