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The Brooklyn Nets will face off against the Philadelphia 76ers tonight in a battle between two of the best teams in the Eastern Conference. It’s time to continue our NBA odds series and make a Nets-Sixers prediction and pick.
The Nets hold a record of 37-17 overall, but only 26-28 and against the spread. Brooklyn is coming off a blowout win over the Minnesota Timberwolves yesterday.
The Sixers stand at 37-17 overall and 30-21-3 against the spread. Philadelphia is coming off a statement win over the Dallas Mavericks.
Here’s how sportsbooks have set the opening Nets-Sixers odds.
NBA Odds: Nets-Sixers Odds
Brooklyn Nets +7.5 (-110)
Philadelphia 76ers -7.5 (-110)
Over 226 Points (-110)
Under 226 Points (-110)
Why The Sixers Could Cover The Spread
The Sixers will get some major help from the injury report tonight.
Two of the Nets' big three (James Harden and Kevin Durant) have already been ruled out. LaMarcus Aldridge will also miss this game with an illness. This knocks out three of their top five scorers.
Brooklyn can't really afford to miss scoring against one of the top defensive teams in the league. Lately, the Sixers have been clamping opponents.
Philly has held each of their last four opponents well under their scoring average, and two of those opponents failed to put 100 points on the board.
Overall, the Sixers have allowed the sixth least points per game in the league and held opponents to the fourth lowest field goal percentage and eighth-lowest three-point percentage.
Having multiple elite scorers gives you the best chance to beat the Sixers, and the Nets only have one. Kyrie Irving should have his hands full with Ben Simmons and the elite Sixers perimeter defense tonight.
On the offensive end, the Nets won't have an answer for Joel Embiid. The MVP candidate is averaging 28.0 points on 49.3% shooting from the field. He'll certainly be looking to make a statement against a team that many expect to win the Eastern Conference.
Why The Nets Could Cover The Spread
Brooklyn might be missing some big names, but they've been in this situation before.
It wasn't too long ago that the Nets toppled the Suns on their home floor with just one of their Big Three active as eight-point underdogs.
It took a James Harden masterclass to steal that game in Phoenix. Kyrie Irving will have to replicate that performance for the Nets to have a shot here.
Taking aside his performance against the Lakers where he was ejected early, Irving has been on fire. Over his last six matchups, Kyrie is averaging 26.8 points on 48.1% shooting from the field, frequently shouldering the scoring load for Brooklyn.
With Harden and Durant out, the weight that Irving must carry gets a little heavier. However, we can't completely discount the Nets just yet.
Brooklyn owns the second highest-scoring offense in the league, averaging a whopping 118.8 points per game. Obviously, a lot of this scoring comes from Harden and Durant, but Brooklyn's role players have played their part perfectly.
Joe Harris, Jeff Green, and Blake Griffin will all have to step up today, and they've proven they are capable. As long as the Brooklyn bench mob can muster up some buckets against the Sixers defense, they'll stay in striking range.
The Sixers' offense isn't exactly blowing teams away. Philly is averaging 113.3 points per game, and they've only topped that figure once in their past five matchups.
It might be a stretch for the Nets to win this game, but with a little help from their underrated depth, they can keep this close.
Final Nets-Sixers Prediction & Pick
With all the injuries to the Nets, this should be a fairly easy win for Philadelphia. Brooklyn has surprised teams in the past with guys out, but it's doubtful that happens tonight. The Sixers defense is clicking, and Philly holds the best spread record in the league on their home floor. This should be a double-digit win for a Sixers team that is primed to take advantage of an offensively handicapped squad.
FINAL NETS-SIXERS PICK: SIXERS -7.5
