The Portland Trail Blazers (3-3) play the second of a back-to-back against the Philadelphia 76ers (4-2) Monday at Wells Fargo Center. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET. Below, we look at the Trail Blazers vs. 76ers odds and lines, and make our expert NBA picks, predictions, and bets.
Portland got a 125-113 beating Sunday at the hands of the Charlotte Hornets as a 2-point road favorite. The Trail Blazers were outshot by the Hornets 51.7-44.3% and had 10 fewer free-throw attempts. Portland is 3-3 against the spread (ATS) and 3-3 Over/Under (O/U).
Philly got a little revenge on the Atlanta Hawks Saturday by beating them 122-94 as a 3.5-point home favorite. The Sixers dominated the Hawks inside (outscoring Atlanta in the paint 60-36) and in transition (outscoring Atlanta 34-14 in fastbreak points). Philly is 3-3 ATS and 2-4 O/U.
The Trail Blazers have won three in a row over the Sixers and six of their last seven meetings (6-0-1 ATS). The Over has cashed in seven straight Trail Blazers-76ers meetings.
Trail Blazers at 76ers odds, spread and lines
Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 1:15 p.m. ET.
- Money line: Trail Blazers +105 (bet $100 to win $105) | 76ers -130 (bet $130 to win $100)
- Against the spread (ATS): Trail Blazers +1.5 (-105) | 76ers -1.5 (-120)
- Over/Under (O/U): 219.5 (O: -108 | U: -112)
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Trail Blazers at 76ers key injuries
Trail Blazers
- Nothing affecting gambling odds.
76ers
- C Joel Embiid (rest) out
- PG Ben Simmons (personal) out
Trail Blazers at 76ers odds, lines, picks and predictions
Prediction
Trail Blazers 117, 76ers 106
Money line
BET the TRAIL BLAZERS (+105) because the presumed “sharp” side of the market was buying Portland’s money line prior to news of Embiid’s absence Monday.
The Simmons-sabbatical saga definitely weakens Philly’s perimeter defense, which is a huge problem when facing Portland’s three-combo guard starting lineup.
The loss of two All-NBA-caliber defenders is too much to overcome for a Philly team that’s allowed Portland to score at least 118 points in each of the last six meetings.
Also, Trail Blazers’ new head coach Chauncey Billups has Portland setting more screens and moving the ball.
For instance, the Trail Blazers lead the NBA in screen-assists set and screen-assists points per game and eighth-most secondary assists per game.
Portland shot terribly Sunday against a mediocre Hornets defense and is primed for a bounce-back effort Monday. The TRAIL BLAZERS (+105) are well-positioned for said “bounce-back” with Embiid out.
Against the spread
PASS since the Trail Blazers +1.5 (-105) doesn’t offer much insurance for our Portland money line bet.
Over/Under
PASS with a slight lean because the Trail Blazers have the third-highest pace in the Association and I’d expect the Sixers to speed up their tempo with the focal point of their half-court offense (Embidd) taking a rest day.
However, Philly’s offense could be in trouble with Embiid out of the lineup and the Over has cashed in the last seven Trail Blazers-76ers meetings.
Both teams shoot exceptionally from the field and the charity stripe and Philly’s defense is only 15th in defensive rating. Embiid’s absence not only hurts the Sixers’ interior defense but it might cause Philly’s perimeter defense to collapse quicker since it’s without an elite rim protector.
On top of that, each team ranks in the bottom-10 of defensive 3-point shooting percentage and in the top-10 of offensive 3-point shooting percentage.
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