Brooklyn Nets vs. Philadelphia 76ers Odds, Preview, Picks and Prediction

Nets vs. 76ers Odds

On Thursday evening, the Brooklyn Nets and the Philadelphia 76ers will battle at the Wells Fargo Center in one of the most highly anticipated regular season matchups since the All-Star break. Exactly one month ago, the Nets shipped James Harden to the 76ers in exchange for Ben Simmons, Seth Curry, Andre Drummond, and multiple draft picks. Though Simmons will not suit up in this one, there is still plenty of rancor from the Philadelphia fan base making this a game circled on the calendar. NBA oddsmakers anticipate the 76ers taking care of home court in this one–pricing them as 4.5 point favorites on the spread.

Brooklyn Nets (+4.5)

Since January 23rd, the Nets have only four victories in 21 trips to the hardwood. The majority of those losses came with Kevin Durant on the sidelines, but Brooklyn has continued to struggle since his return to action. In three games since Durant rejoined the starting lineup, the Nets have only one win, and rank 24th in defensive efficiency. The offense has been slightly better, scoring 119.7 points per 100 possessions, which ranks 8th in the NBA during that time period.

Per Cleaning the Glass, when Durant and Kyrie Irving have been on the court together without James Harden this year–Brooklyn is scoring 121.1 points per 100 possessions, which ranks in the 97th percentile in the league. However, the defensive effort from this group has been less than inspiring–allowing 114.8 points per 100 possessions, which ranks in only the 24th percentile. Slowing down the 76ers offense could be particularly difficult tonight, considering that the Nets are also a group that struggles mightily to defend without fouling.

Philadelphia 76ers (-4.5)

Since Harden made his debut on February 25th, the 76ers have won five of six contests–ranking 2nd in the NBA in Net Rating in that span, outscoring their opponents by 11.4 points per 100 possessions. Their five wins have come against the Minnesota Timberwolves, New York Knicks (twice), Cleveland Cavaliers, and Chicago Bulls, with their lone loss coming against the Miami Heat on the road.

Per Cleaning the Glass, when Joel Embiid and James Harden have shared the floor, Philadelphia is scoring 132.4 points per 100 possessions and allowing only 103.0 points per 100 possessions–each of which ranks in the 96th percentile or higher. Since the trade, Embiid is averaging 31.3 points and 11.8 rebounds per 36 minutes of action. Harden is averaging 23.8 points and 12.0 assists per 36 minutes of action. Tobias Harris has been the biggest loser since bringing Harden on board, seeing his usage dip to 17.7 percent, which puts him in a clear fourth role in the offense when Tyrese Maxey is also on the court.

Picks and Prediction

Heading into action tonight, there is little doubt that the 76ers are the better team. The addition of Harden to the fold has turned Philadelphia into arguably the most unstoppable offensive team in the league, without completely decimating their defense or depth. Brooklyn simply does not have the defense necessary to compete with Philadelphia in this one. Take the home favorites to cover the spread, but buy a half-point of insurance to cover yourself against a backdoor loss.

Money Breakdown

As of this writing, ScoresAndOdds is reporting that 50 percent of the bets on the spread are on the 76ers, but 74 percent of the money is on Philadelphia–indicating a sharp money influx of cash on the home favorites.

• PICKS: 76ers -4 (-130)