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The NBA is in full swing and Thursday night's final scheduled matchup will feature the Portland Trail Blazers (21-23) hosting the visiting Philadelphia 76ers (28-16). We continue our NBA odds series and assess our Sixers-Blazers prediction and pick.
This game in the Moda Center will feature the first of the two match-ups between two teams contending for playoff spots. The clash between the Sixers and Blazers last season saw the teams splitting both results with wins at their home stands. A win for either team is a must-have to secure playoff berths.
The Blazers are coming off with some shaky records. After posting five straight defeats, the Blazers notched two successive wins against the Dallas Mavericks. But their recent game against Western Conference leaders Denver Nuggets was a disappointment for Rip City, as they managed to collect 24 fouls and 13 turnovers in the 122-113 loss.
The Sixers come into this game beaming with pride. After a collapse against the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Sixers notched three straight wins against the Jazz, Lakers, and Clippers. They are aiming for another win to catch up with the Boston Celtics on top of the Eastern Conference ladder.
Here are the Sixers-Blazers NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel
NBA Odds: Sixers-Blazers Odds
Philadelphia 76ers: -2 (-112)
Portland Trail Blazers: +2 (-108)
Over: 233.5 (-110)
Under: 233.5 (-110)
How To Watch Sixers vs. Blazers
TV: Root Sports +, NBC Sports – Philadelphia
Stream: NBA League Pass
Time: 10 PM ET / 7 PM PT
*Watch NBA games LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why The Sixers Could Cover The Spread
The Sixers enter this game with some ‘winner's high,' as they have racked up only two losses in their last 10 games. Even with the presence of Paul George and Kawhi Leonard, the Sixers took over the fourth quarter, thanks to a 41-point, nine-rebound game from Joel Embiid. Tyrese Maxey and Tobias Harris delivered 22 and 20 points, while James Harden seemed to cool off with a six-point, nine-assist game.
At this pace, Doc Rivers' side looks like the team that fans and viewers expected them to play. The Sixers rank ninth in the league with a 48% field goal shooting ratio, while their 38% three-point shooting clip and 82.5% free-throw rate conversion both sit as third-best records for the league this season. Aside from Embiid, Harden, Maxey, and Harris, De'Anthony Melton also makes 11 points off the bench, PJ Tucker makes 4.2 boards, and Shake Milton delivers 3.3 assists for the team. The team still has Montrezl Harrell, Paul Reed, Matisse Thybulle, Georges Niang, and Furkan Korkmaz, who are reliable role players who can put up numbers on the stat sheet night in, night out.
Offensively, the Sixers should get their points easily. The league is yet to find someone to stop Embiid from scoring, while Harden and Maxey are also capable of turning up and making buckets every night. Milton, Melton, and Harris also manage to get points in any situation, while Tucker and Thybulle are always sharp when it comes to defensive assignments. Expect the Sixers to run the offense through Embiid, as they have been doing all season, and watch JoJo dominate the paint for easy looks and kick outs. If the big man is feeling it, this one would just be a delight for Philly.
Why The Blazers Could Cover The Spread
Even as tonight's game hosts, the Blazers enter this game with some problems. Portland's record at home is only 11-8, and they might be in trouble this game as Justise Winslow remains out while Jusuf Nurkic and Gary Payton II are probable to play.
Regardless of this, the Blazers can still rely on their dynamite point guard Damian Lillard. In nine games played in January, Dame has averaged 33.2 points, 7.1 assists, and 3.6 rebounds. During the same period, Anfernee Simons averaged 19.2 points, 3.9 assists, and 2.6 rebounds while Jerami Grant made 20.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 1.4 steals per game. Aside from Portland's Big Three, they also have reliable bigs in Jusuf Nurkic and Drew Eubanks, as well as offensive floor stretchers in the likes of Josh Hart, Shaedon Sharpe, and Nassir Little.
The Blazers are capable of producing 113.3 points every night, ranking 11th with a 47.9 field goal shooting percentage, 7th in three-point conversion rate at 37.2, and 16th at free-throw makes at 78.4. They also rank third with 21.6 personal fouls drawn, allow 112.8 points for their opponents, and make them shoot 47.4% off of field goals. The Blazers should look to increase these offensive metrics and improve their defensive setups. Grant, Hart, Little, Eubanks, and Trendon Watford should set as examples on the defensive end, and they should look to position themselves into open spots whenever Lillard, Simons, or Grant are double- or triple-teamed.
Final Sixers-Blazers Prediction & Pick
While Lillard, Simons, and Grant can catch fire any time of the game, Rip City has just been inconsistent. Philly, on the other hand, has been playing very solid basketball and has never slowed down this season. Portland may feed off the chants of their home crowd, but bet on the Sixers to get this win. Just hope that Philly can contain Dame and the rest of the starters.
Final Sixers-Blazers Prediction & Pick: Philadelphia 76ers -2.5 (-110)
