The Philadelphia 76ers (16-16) travel to the nation’s capital to play the Washington Wizards (17-15) at the Capital One Arena. The tip-off is scheduled for 6 p.m. ET. Below, we look at the 76ers vs. Wizards odds and lines, and make our expert NBA picks, predictions and bets.
Philly was upset, 98-96, as 11-point home favorites Thursday by a COVID-ravaged Atlanta Hawks.
Over the past two weeks, the Sixers are 1-4 straight-up (SU), 1-4 ATS and 2-3 O/U with the third-worst non-garbage time net rating (minus-8.9 points per 100 possessions), according to CleaningTheGlass.com (CTG).
Washington has won back-to-back road games over the Utah Jazz, 109-103, Dec. 18, and the New York Knicks, 124-117, Thursday.
The Wizards are 2-3 SU, 2-3 ATS and 3-2 O/U in the last 14 days with the 25th-ranked non-garbage time net rating (minus-6.6 points per 100 possessions), per CTG.
76ers at Wizards odds, spread and lines
Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 12 p.m. ET.
- Money line: 76ers -170 (bet $170 to win $100) | Wizards +135 (bet $100 to win $135)
- Against the spread (ATS): 76ers -3.5 (-115) | Wizards +3.5 (-107)
- Over/Under (O/U): 208.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)
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76ers at Wizards key injuries
76ers
- PG Tyrese Maxey (health and safety protocols) questionable
- PG Georges Niang (health and safety protocols) questionable
- C Andre Drummond (health and safety protocols) out
- SG Danny Green (health and safety protocols) out
- PG Shake Milton (health and safety protocols) out
Wizards
- SG Bradley Beal (health and safety protocols) out
- PF Rui Hachimura (personal) questionable
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76ers at Wizards odds, lines, picks and predictions
Prediction
Wizards 105, 76ers 102
Money line
Slight “LEAN” to the WIZARDS (+135) for a tiny wager, if at all, because the 76ers (-170) putting up a stinker after Christmas feels like a Philly-thing. Objectively, at this point, the Sixers have been disappointing.
Through 32 games, Washington is the sixth seed and Philly is the seventh in the East but why aren’t the Sixers a top-4 seed? Perhaps Philly needs Ben Simmons more than the market is accounting for.
For instance, the Sixers are priced as a team that’ll have a home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs. But, they are playing like a team vying for a postseason play-in seed.
The preferred and wiser wager is Washington plus the points but I’ll “SPRINKLE” on the WIZARDS (+135).
Against the spread
Definitely BET the WIZARDS +3.5 (-107) heavier than or instead of the money line.
Washington has covered its last four games following a road trip of seven or more days and five of its past six as a home underdog. Also, Philly has failed to cover its past nine games as a favorite.
Furthermore, this feels like a trap spot for Philly who are favored just 3.5 vs. a Wizards team missing their leading scorer.
However, Washington actually plays better when Beal is off the floor; Beal has a minus-4.7 points per 100 possessions on/off net rating, per CTG.
The ball moves better when Beal is out of the game, and Washington is low-key deep. The Wizards’ bench scores the fourth-most points per game (PPG) at 38.9 whereas the Sixers’ bench puts up just 29.2 PPG (ranked 26th).
GIMME the WIZARDS +3.5 (-107) coming back from a long road trip vs. a Sixers squad that continually underperforms in this spot.
Over/Under
Slight “LEAN” to the UNDER 208.5 (-110) for a quarter-unit since the presumed sharp side of the market is backing the Under while the public is rolling with the Over (according to Pregame.com), and both teams play at a bottom-six pace.
Also, Philly games have gone Under the total at the third-highest rate in the Association despite the Sixers ranking just 20th in defensive rating. Philly just has a habit of playing in slow, clunky rock-fights.
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