Philadelphia 76ers at Boston Celtics odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Thursday’s Philadelphia 76ers at Boston Celtics sports betting odds and lines, with NBA betting picks, tips and best bets.

The Boston Celtics (17-6) host the rival Philadelphia 76ers (18-7) Thursday at TD Garden in a marquee Atlantic Division showdown. Tip-off is set for shortly after 8 p.m. ET. We analyze the 76ers-Celtics odds and lines, with NBA betting advice and tips around the matchup.


Place a legal sports bet on this NBA action or other games at BetMGM.


76ers at Celtics: Key injuries

76ers

  • SG Zhaire Smith (leg) out

Celtics

  • SF Gordon Hayward (nose) is questionable after leaving Wednesday’s game against the Indiana Pacers.
  • SG Marcus Smart (eye, illness) questionable

76ers at Celtics: Odds, lines, picks and betting tips

NBA odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full set of today’s betting odds. Odds last updated at 8:30 a.m. ET.

Prediction

76ers 106, Celtics 97

Moneyline (ML)

The 76ERS (+105) are the play as they enter on a three-game winning streak and a day off Wednesday. The Celtics had a four-game win streak snapped with a 122-117 road loss against the Indiana Pacers Wednesday, and now Hayward’s availability is questionable once again.

The Celtics and Sixers are both four games back of the Eastern Conference-leading Milwaukee Bucks. Boston remains perfect at 10-0 on home court while Philly is just 5-7 on the road. The 76ers won the first meeting of the season between the two 107-93 in the 2019 opener at home. Take the value with the road dogs as the healthier, and rested team.

New to sports betting? A $10 bet on the 76ers to win outright returns a profit of $10.50.

Against the Spread (ATS)

Stick with the moneyline rather than taking a lesser payout while backing the 76ers (+1.5, -110) to stay within a single point in the event of a loss or to win outright. It illustrates the value of the straight-up victory for the visitors. If you like the Celtics to win, the -110 odds to cover -1.5 and win by at least 2 points would be the better value than the -125 odds on the moneyline.

Boston is 14-7-2 against the spread overall and 7-2-1 ATS at home. Philly is 11-12-2 ATS overall and 4-7-1 on the road, but it will upset a tired and wounded opponent and win outright.

Over/Under (O/U)

Lean to the UNDER 210.5 (-105) with the Celtics on the second half of the back-to-back. The two sides played to a total of 200 points in their first meeting of the season. Hayward led the way for the Celtics with 25 points, while Smart had a team-high 8 assists. The two teams combine to average 220.5 points per game while allowing a combined total of 207.1.

Want some action on this one? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Esten’s NBA betting record: 78-63

Follow @EstenMcLaren and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Josh Richardson returns from injury for Sixers

Josh Richardson returns from injury for Sixers.

PHILADELPHIA — Former University of Tennessee basketball player Josh Richardson was having a solid campaign in his first season with the Philadelphia 76ers before he was bitten by the injury bug recently.

Richardson, who missed six games with hamstring stiffness, returned to the Philadelphia lineup Tuesday night when the 76ers outlasted the Denver Nuggets, 97-92, Tuesday at Wells Fargo Center.

The former Vol played just 19 minutes against the Nuggets. He started, but scored just three points while pulling down one rebound for the 76ers (18-7). Richardson formerly played with the Miami Heat, but was traded to Philadelphia on Draft Night in a deal that sent Jimmy Butler to South Beach.

Richardson is one of two former Volunteers hoopsters starting in the City of Brotherly Love. Forward Tobias Harris is in the midst of a solid season.

He scored 20 points, grabbed seven rebounds and dished out four assists against Denver on Tuesday. He played 36 minutes.

Sixers defeat Nuggets 97-92 to win 13th straight home game

The Sixers got their third straight win against the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday.

Joel Embiid had another marquee matchup with Nikola Jokic on Tuesday night, but this time Embiid got the better of him.

Embiid scored a team-high 22 points in the Philadelphia 76ers’ 97-92 win over the Denver Nuggets. With the win, the Sixers are now 13-0 at home and have the best home record in the NBA. The win also helped the Sixers earn their best home start since the 1966-67 season, according to Basketball Reference; Philly got 22 straight home wins to begin that season.

Heading into the fourth quarter, the Sixers were up 83-76. The Nuggets had fed off the quality play of Jokic, Gary Harris and Will Barton. Jokic had a team-high nine points in the third quarter.

In the fourth quarter, Embiid wasn’t much of a factor from a scoring standpoint, finishing with four points. But he grabbed four rebounds, and tallied one steal and an assist.

Jokic finished with 15 points on 53.8% shooting from the field, and he also had 11 assists and seven rebounds.

It wasn’t a premier performance from Embiid. But his game-sealing two free throws helped create enough cushion for the Sixers to win the game.

The last time these two teams played was on Nov. 8, and the Nuggets won 100-97. Jokic had the better outing, scoring 26 points, grabbing 10 rebounds and tallying six assists. Embiid had 19 points and 15 rebounds, shooting 35.3% from the field.

The Sixers’ pace fluctuated throughout the game. Philly played its best when it was gaining stops and getting out in transition. The Sixers rank 12th in fastbreak points (13.8). On Tuesday, they scored 19 fastbreak points, tying their fifth-highest mark of the season.

Along with Embiid’s play, the Sixers showed how their ability to move the ball helps them have an above average offense. Ben Simmons had a team-high seven assists, and the Sixers had 24 as a team.

Still, those passes didn’t necessarily equate to buckets. The Sixers shot 41.6% from the field and 33.3% from deep.

What was most troubling for the Sixers was how their offense stalled late in the game. With 4:09 left, Tobias Harris made a jumper to increase the Sixers’ lead to 95-89. But after that bucket, the Sixers didn’t score again until Embiid sank a free throw with about 15 seconds left.

As the Sixers come off this third straight win, they will prepare to play the Boston Celtics in Boston on Thursday night. The Celtics are currently 17-5, and they’re ranked second in the Eastern Conference.

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Denver Nuggets at Philadelphia 76ers odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Tuesday’s Denver Nuggets at Philadelphia 76ers sports betting odds and lines, with NBA betting picks, tips and best bets.

The Denver Nuggets (14-7) visit the Philadelphia 76ers (17-7) Tuesday at Wells Fargo Center. Tip-off is scheduled for shortly after 8 p.m. ET. We analyze the Nuggets-76ers odds and lines, with NBA betting advice and tips around the matchup.


Place a legal sports bet on this NBA action or other games at BetMGM.


Nuggets at 76ers: Key injuries

76ers

  • SG Josh Richardson (hamstring) questionable
  • Jonah Bolden (Achilles) out

Nuggets at 76ers: Odds, lines, picks and betting tips

NBA odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full set of today’s betting odds. Odds last updated Tuesday at 1:30 p.m. ET.

Prediction

76ers 103, Nuggets 94

Moneyline (ML)

The 76ERS (-182) enter play Tuesday with back-to-back wins, having beaten the Cleveland Cavaliers 141-94 and the Toronto Raptors 110-104 – both games were on home court. The Nuggets are losers of two straight, dropping road games against the Boston Celtics (108-95) and Brooklyn Nets (105-102). Back the home team.

The Sixers are 8-2 over their last 10 games and 12-0 at home for the season. The Nuggets are 6-4 across their last 10 outings, and they’re 6-4 on the road. They’ll return home for a five-game homestand starting Thursday. The Nuggets allow a league-low 101.9 points per game to the opposition while outscoring opponents by an average of 4.6 PPG. The Sixers outscore their opponents by 6.2 PPG while leaning on an offense averaging 110.2 PPG.

New to sports betting? A $10 bet on the 76ers to win outright returns a profit of $5.49.

Against the Spread (ATS)

The SIXERS (-3.5, -115) are just 11-12 ATS overall, but they’re 7-5 at home. The Nuggets are 9-11 ATS overall and 4-5 on the road. Thirteen of Philly’s 17 wins have been by margins of at least four points, while three of Denver’s seven losses were by margins of four or more points.

A $10 bet on Philly to win by at least 4 points will return a profit of $8.70.

Over/Under (O/U)

The Nuggets have the best Under record in the NBA at 6-15 while falling an average of five points per game short of the projections. The 76ers are 10-13-1 against the projected totals and fall 0.9 points per game shy. Take the UNDER 206.5 (+105) while relying on the Nuggets defense and expecting a slower game. Both teams rank in the bottom half of the Association by pace (possessions per game).

Want some action on this one? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Esten’s NBA betting record: 71-60

Follow @EstenMcLaren and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Matisse Thybulle shooting better off catch than he ever did in college

Philadelphia 76ers rookie wing Matisse Thybulle was drafted for his defensive prowess but has also improved on the offensive side as well.

Philadelphia 76ers rookie wing Matisse Thybulle was drafted for his defensive prowess but has also improved on the offensive side as well.

Thybulle was electrifying during a victory against the defending-champion Toronto Raptors, hitting five three-pointers on December 8. The rookie ended the night with a career-high 20 points.

After 23 games, the first-year player is shooting 44.0 percent from three-point range. That is currently quite a bit better than league average (35.7 percent) in the NBA. Despite the fact that the college three-point line is shorter than the professional distance, that mark is also better than he ever shot in the NCAA.

The 23-year-old has never been a player who has been able to create his own shot from the perimeter. During his four-year college tenure at the University of Washington, per Hoop-Math, over 90 percent of his successful shots from beyond the arc were assisted.

This season, all of the 22 three-pointers he has made have come off an assist. That means he relies on his teammates for his outside attempts, used mostly as a spot-up finisher for Philadelphia.

Especially considering how much attention is required by opposing defenses for Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons, there are often open shooters waiting on the perimeter.

For example, watch how much space Thybulle has as Simmons drives to the basket. While he may have been able to continue for a contested shot near the rim, he instead finds Thybulle for a catch-and-shoot three-pointer.

As such, it is no surprise that the rookie is averaging 5.8 three-point attempts per 36 minutes when playing alongside Simmons but just 2.6 per 36 when he has not been on the court with the point forward.

More than two-thirds (68.1 percent) of his connected three-pointers have hit while sharing the floor with Simmons — who has actually assisted on nearly half (45.5 percent) of his long-distance makes. Watch one of them during the victory over Toronto:

Thybulle is averaging 1.16 points per possession (75th percentile) as a spot-up shooter for the Sixers. The wing is shooting 18-for-36 (50.0 percent) on these looks.

During his tenure for the Washington Huskies, he was just 178-for-471 (37.8 percent) on spot-up possessions. He ranked below the 50th percentile in both his junior and senior campaigns.

You can see the progress he has made shooting off the catch and as a spot-up shooter below:

Overall, Philadelphia currently ranks fourth-best among all NBA teams in spot-up efficiency this season. Thybulle has both been a beneficiary and also played a big role in the team’s success in these opportunities.

Before the draft, that is exactly what Jonathan Wasserman projected for the wing (via Bleacher Report):

“Optimizing Thybulle means surrounding him with scorers and playmakers so he can receive open catch-and-shoot looks and play to his strengths as a spot-up threat and defensive ace.”

Thybulle has found a role and a niché in the offense for the Sixers and will have even more trust from his teammates and coaches get more used to his style.

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Toronto Raptors at Philadelphia 76ers odds, lines, picks and best bets

Analyzing Sunday’s Toronto Raptors at Philadelphia 76ers matchup, with NBA betting odds, lines, picks and best bets

The Toronto Raptors (15-6) and Philadelphia 76ers (16-7) mix it up at Wells Fargo Center at 6:00 p.m. ET Sunday. We analyze the Raptors-76ers odds and lines, with NBA betting advice and tips around the matchup.


Place a legal sports bet on this NBA action or other games at BetMGM.


Raptors at 76ers: Key injuries

Raptors: SG Patrick McCaw (knee) and SF Stanley Johnson (groin) are each out until mid-December.

76ers: C Joel Embiid (hip) is expected to be ready, while SG Matisse Thybulle (ankle) is more questionable. SG Josh Richardson (hamstring) has been ruled out again.

Raptors at 76ers: Odds, lines, picks and betting tips

NBA odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full set of today’s betting odds. Odds last updated at 7:15 a.m. ET.

Prediction

76ers 106, Raptors 101

Moneyline (ML)

The 76ERS (-150) should get a much bigger test than they did Saturday in their 141-94 victory against the Cavaliers. The Raptors (+125) haven’t lost three games in a row in over one calendar year, but they’ll be up against it in Philadelphia against with an unblemished (11-0) home record.

New to sports betting? Every $1 wagered on a Philadelphia win profits $0.67 if the 76ers prevail. (Ex: Bet $10 to win $6.70, $20 to win $13.40, $5.99 to win $10).

Line/Against the Spread (ATS)

Take the 76ERS (-2.5, –115), even though they’re just 8-17 ATS in the past 25 against the Raptors (+2.5, -106). Go lightly on the 76ers, as even though they’re just 2-5 ATS in the past seven in the second end of a back-to-back, they’ll have fresh legs with Embiid back in action after a rest Saturday.

Over/Under (O/U)

PASS. For the second straight day I just don’t care for the total in a Philly game. There is too much uncertainty with Embiid back, and the fact the rest of the team is playing in the second of a back-to-back. The under is 7-2 in the past nine meetings in this series, so if anything, there is a slight lean in that direction.

Want some action on this game? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips and advice, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Ben Simmons hit another three and Philadelphia erupted

Ben Simmons drained a three from the corner and Sixers fans lost it.

The 2019-20 NBA season was supposed to be the year Ben Simmons unleashed his newfound range and began terrorizing defenses from all over the floor.

We’d seen footage of Simmons shooting capably from behind the arc all summer long, and while Simmons regularly warmed up for games by draining threes, it took until November 22nd for Simmons to attempt his first 3-pointer of the regular season. Simmons made that shot, which was the first made three of his career, but he’s still been reticent to shoot, with just two attempts from long range over his next seven games.

On Saturday night in Philadelphia, with the Sixers destroying the overmatched Cavaliers in the first half, Simmons finally made his second three of the year – and the crowd responded as if he had just hit a buzzer-beater in Game 7 of the NBA Finals.

Assuming the Sixers don’t blow a 41-point lead in the second half, the Sixers will improve to 2-0 in games where Simmons makes a three, and 3-1 in games where Simmons attempts a three. Take more threes, Ben!

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Cleveland Cavaliers at Philadelphia 76ers odds, lines, picks and best bets

Previewing Saturday’s Cleveland Cavaliers at Philadelphia 76ers sports betting odds and lines, with NBA betting picks, tips and best bets.

The Cleveland Cavaliers (5-16) and Philadelphia 76ers (15-7) tip-off at Wells Fargo Center at 7:30 p.m. ET Saturday night. We analyze the Cavaliers-76ers odds and lines, with NBA betting advice and tips around the matchup.


Place a legal sports bet on this NBA action or other games at BetMGM.


Cavaliers at 76ers: Key injuries

Cavaliers: PF Kevin Love (illness) is questionable, while SG Dylan Windler (shin) is out until mid-December.

76ers: C Joel Embiid (hip) and SG Josh Richardson (hamstring) are out. C Kyle O’Quinn (calf) remains out indefinitely, too.

Cavaliers at 76ers: Odds, lines, picks and betting tips

NBA odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full set of today’s betting odds. Odds last updated at 12:45 p.m. ET.

Prediction

76ers 113, Cavaliers 93

Moneyline (ML)

The 76ers (-833) are overwhelming favorites, and there is no way to justify risking eight times your money for a small return. The Cavaliers (+550) are giant underdogs because they’re not a good team, and they might be without their best player, Love, who is under the weather.

New to sports betting? Every $1 wagered on a Philadelphia win profits $0.12 if the 76ers prevail. (Ex: Bet $10 to win $1.20, $20 to win $2.40, $83.33 to win $10).

Line/Against the Spread (ATS)

Take the 76ERS (-11.5, –115), even though they’ll be a little bit short-handed without Embiid. They’ll still be in good shape against the struggling Cavs.

Over/Under (O/U)

PASS. The Under has cashed in 19 of the past 27 meetings in this series, and 10 of the past 14 battles in Philadelphia. With Embiid out, and Love possibly joining him, the defense actually could be lacking. There is just too much uncertainty to wade into the total pool here.

Want some action on this game? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips and advice, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

[lawrence-newsletter]

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Beat writers discuss covering lousy teams: ‘There’s only so many ways you can write that they’re bad’

NBA beat writers Marc Berman, Jon Krawczynski, Fred Katz, Vince Ellis and Keith Pompey discuss what it’s like to cover a struggling team.

Supporting a team that finishes near the bottom of the standings each year is extremely frustrating. It’s no fun rooting for a perennial loser. 

But what’s it like covering a team that’s constantly struggling? Beat writers spend nearly every day of the season with their assigned team, so how exactly is a beat writer impacted when their respective team keeps losing?

HoopsHype asked the following veteran beat writers: Marc Berman (New York Knicks beat, the New York Post), Jon Krawczynski (Minnesota Timberwolves beat, The Athletic), Vince Ellis (Detroit Pistons beat, the Detroit Free Press), Fred Katz (Washington Wizards beat, The Athletic) and Keith Pompey (Philadelphia 76ers beat, The Philadelphia Inquirer).

HOW LOSING AFFECTS THEIR COVERAGE

“When you cover a really bad team – a 50-loss team or a 60-loss team – there’s only so many ways you can write that they’re bad and they lost the game,” Jon Krawczynski said. “It really does challenge you to find unique angles on a day-to-day basis.”

“Someone explained this to me a long time ago: You aren’t rooting for a team, you’re rooting for a story,” Vince Ellis said. “And it’s hard to come up with story ideas when you’re covering a perennial loser.”

When a team enters a season with zero expectations of winning, that kind of losing season isn’t as bad as when a team was projected to do well and then fails to live up to the heightened expectations. Fred Katz pointed out that it’s important to adjust your coverage and overarching voice to fit that season’s circumstances.

“Your voice has to change, but no matter what, you’re still covering 15 people,” Katz said. “A team doesn’t necessarily need to be winning to find interesting stuff. Bradley Beal is an awesome player and he’s always interesting. It might not get the national play that it would get when I was covering Russell Westbrook during his MVP season, but in terms of just interest, if you’re passionate about your job, your beat and the subject you write about, I think you can always find stuff.”

During a successful campaign, everyone is happy and candid about what’s working. During a losing campaign, people are often frustrated and closed off. A good beat writer can uncover what’s happening behind closed doors.

When the team is winning, you’re basically painting a picture of what’s right in front of you,” Krawczynski said. “When the team is losing a lot, it’s up to you to really dig and leverage your relationships and your reporting skills to find out the real reasons why things aren’t going well or why certain decisions were made in terms of trading a player or firing a coach.”

Because a beat writer spends virtually every day around their team, they’re likely going to hear a lot of explanations from a wide variety of people when the squad is struggling. 

“When things are going wrong, there are going to be a lot of people who are giving their version of what’s happening and there are generally problems with every viewpoint or things that are being left out,” Krawczynski said. “A coach may say, ‘It’s the players’ fault and they aren’t doing what I want.’ A player may say, ‘It’s the coach’s fault; he doesn’t have the right system.’ Everyone is going to be pointing fingers. While fans are typically looking for us to validate whatever they think is wrong with the current situation, what we’re actually trying to do is find that middle ground that’s as close to accurate as possible and then present that. We’re just trying to get the truth.”

In addition to doing more investigative reporting, some beat writers are given the green-light to pursue unique stories that may not have seen the light of day if the team was winning.

“I think it gives you a little bit more freedom to get weird,” Katz said. “I, personally, get really excited about weird statistical trends. My big thing – and you hear musicians talk about this with their music – is that you write the songs that you like and if other people like those songs, then great. But when you start writing songs for other people, you kind of lose the heart of it.”

Sometimes, a beat writer’s coverage will change toward the end of a losing year. As Marc Berman noted, some outlets cut game stories in half or scrap them altogether in the final weeks of a season. Instead, there’s more of a focus on pieces about the future of the franchise (such as features on young prospects or breakdowns of possible offseason moves).

When the Philadelphia 76ers were tanking, it became clear that fans didn’t want to read about each regular-season loss. Instead, as Keith Pompey notes, they were eating up draft content and Summer League articles because they were looking ahead for future contributors (AKA Trusting the Process).

“Back then, Sixers fans got so excited for the Lottery and the NBA Draft was huge,” Pompey said. “It was ridiculous; my numbers used to be off the charts when I was writing about Summer League games. It was completely different. Last year, when they made the playoffs, it was almost like, ‘Okay, what do we do now?’ as far as covering the team. It was new to everyone.”

There’s often more national visibility for beat writers who are covering contending teams (particularly those in large markets). Some care about this more than others.

“I guess covering a winning team is good for things that some people care about like visibility, more eyeballs on the stuff you’re writing about and things like that,” Ellis said. “I don’t dislike visibility or people consuming my stuff, but that’s really not a concern of mine. My assignment is to cover the team that I cover, and I don’t care about how much visibility I get or the team gets.”

Photo by Dale Zanine/USA TODAY Sports

HOW LOSING IMPACTS PLAYER INTERACTIONS

“It’s not fun to walk up to somebody and ask them, in a public platform, why they aren’t doing well in their job,” Katz said with a laugh. “That’s never a fun thing.”

That’s essentially what beat writers must do after losses, though. This part of the job is difficult, as the players are often frustrated and guarded. Some players take out their anger on the journalist, while others shut down and give one-word answers.

“When a team is losing, it’s generally really quiet in the locker room,” Krawczynski said.

“It’s tougher to get thoughtful, illuminating answers during losing streaks,” Ellis added. “It can be a lot tougher when a team is struggling. After a game, it’s almost impossible. But after practices, when they’ve had some time to cool down from the latest loss, they can be more thoughtful.”

When the interviewee knows the beat writer well, they’re more likely to open up and try to give usable quotes, even if they aren’t in the best mood. Remember, beat writers spend more time with the team than just about anyone outside of the organization, so they often get to know these players, coaches and executives well.

“That’s where the relationships come in handy because there’s trust,” Katz said. “You have more leeway too. You can ask certain questions and they’ll know, ‘I know Fred, he’s a fine guy and he’s not out to get me or get a [out-of-context] soundbite.’ That’s when the relationships come in, when they’re losing. It’s why the No. 1 most important thing to do as a beat writer is to have relationships with everybody you cover.”

Certain losing locker rooms are worse than others. As previously mentioned, the higher the pre-season expectations, the more disappointed and dejected that team will be if they end up losing the majority of nights. For example, look at last year’s 17-win Knicks versus this year’s squad.

“Once it became evident that wins and losses didn’t matter because they were tanking, I’ve never been a locker room more happy to lose than last season,” Berman said. “Unless they got destroyed, it was pleasant after losses. And one of the great things about David Fizdale last season is that he was always upbeat and always talking about the future.

“The atmosphere this year, early on, is definitely more somber. First of all, there are a lot more veteran players on the team who want to win. Fizdale isn’t talking about the future, he’s not talking about cap space. After some of these bad losses, he’s really dejected.”

Interestingly, some players give their best interviews when times are tough.

“The irony is that sometimes you get the best quotes in a losing locker room,” Berman said. “The team may get blown out, but then the players are very candid and willing to look in the mirror and criticize themselves and the team. Sometimes, after a victory, you just hear a lot of clichés. But in general, when a team is losing over and over, the locker room is tougher to cover.”

Sometimes, when a team starts rebuilding, it can lead to more access for journalists. For example, several years ago, one team went from being a perennial contender to a bottom-feeder after losing their star player. Suddenly, the team’s PR department gave journalists more access than ever before and went out of their way to help the media. This obviously doesn’t happen with every organization, but there are some instances where a team’s sudden struggles actually make the journalist’s job easier.

“I’m sure there are specific scenarios where a team gets bad and they say, ‘We need more good publicity. We need people to see how good of a guy Player X is, so that we can get more people to tune in or come to games or buy jerseys.’ But that’s definitely not a rule of thumb,” Katz said. “Who is the toughest team to cover in the league? The Knicks, and they’ve won one playoff series in the last two decades and they’re banning journalists from the arena! And the Warriors win our Professional Basketball Writers Association award [for best media relations] pretty much every year and they just went to the NBA Finals five years in a row. It’s totally dependent on the organization and how they view things.”

“I think this season, if the losing continues, they’ll want less publicity,” Berman said of the Knicks. “They would rather us write less than more during these times.”

Photo by Angelo Merendino/Getty Images

HOW THEIR AUDIENCE HANDLES THE STRUGGLES

In sports-talk radio, it’s often said that it’s great for business when the local teams are losing. Suddenly, the station gets more calls because the passionate fans are upset and want to vent. Also, the hosts can fill segment after segment by criticizing the struggling teams, which leads to even more callers.

However, this doesn’t apply to beat writers.

“The Pistons being good or on a winning streak is better for me numbers-wise than a team that’s losing and playing poorly,” Ellis said. “As a matter of fact, my numbers are bad this year. My content hasn’t changed and I still think I do a pretty good job with the content, but it’s just that the audience isn’t there. There are some angry fans who are mad and want to blame somebody. They want to find a boogeyman for why their team isn’t good. That engagement is there on Twitter and talk radio, but overall, fewer people are reading my articles.

“The passionate fans are going to care either way, but the casual fans tune out when the team is losing. And for the casual fans, the NFL is easier to keep track of and less of a time commitment because it’s only one game a week. There are a lot of casual fans who check out when the Pistons are losing. That’s what our metrics say too.”

Berman has noticed the same thing. This would be the Knicks’ seventh-straight season missing the playoffs and New Yorkers are tired of watching their favorite team struggle.

“No, the losing is not a good story for us right now – not anymore with the Knicks,” Berman said. “It is not selling papers, it is not encouraging more clicks. When the losing has gone on for seven-straight seasons, it’s old and tired.”

In fact, Berman has been on the Knicks beat for 20 years and he’s never seen the fan base like this.

“The fans are beat up, to the point that I’ve noticed in recent months that a super-negative story is going to be ripped on Twitter by a lot of the Knicks fans,” Berman said. “I know with Twitter it’s tough to gauge if that’s the general thinking of the public, but they are so desperate for a winning team and a positive story that they’ll criticize a writer for going too negative. I’ve never experienced that – never – on this beat until very recently, and that just shows that Knicks fans are so beaten down that they just can’t read constant negativity. If there’s any little glimmer of hope, that’s what they want to read.”

At the end of the day, fans get tired when the narrative is the same year after year.

“When I took over this beat in 2008-09, people were tired that the Pistons were going to the Eastern Conference Finals every year (but couldn’t win it all more than once). They said it was ‘stale’ and interest was starting to wane,” Ellis said. “Unless the team is winning championships, some fans get tired when it’s the same players and the same situation over and over – whether they’re at the bottom of the standings or falling short in the playoffs.”

Krawczynski witnessed this firsthand during the Timberwolves’ 13-year playoff drought, as the losing caused fans to check out and feel hopeless about the team’s direction.

“When a team has been losing for a long time, for several seasons, and there are no real expectations because of it, there’s an apathy that sets in and fans really just check out on the team,” Krawczynski said. “There will always be a group of diehards who are living and dying with the team and getting emotional about things. But there can be an overall malaise that sets in and I think that’s what teams really want to avoid the most. When fans are really upset and making those angry fan calls, at least that means they care. When that apathy sets in, they don’t buy tickets or don’t turn on the TV.”

When things are going poorly, frustrated fans sometimes want to see the beat writer use their platform to go after the head coach or general manager. Each of the beat writers had experienced this. What these readers don’t understand is that the beat writer is an objective journalist and not a fellow fan.

Photo by Geoff Burke/USA TODAY Sports

DYSFUNCTION SOMETIMES LEADS TO GREAT CONTENT

When a team keeps finishing near the bottom of the standings, there’s often behind-the-scenes drama, which gives beat writers some interesting stories to chase.

“Sometimes, I find the controversy that occurs during losing to be more interesting than winning,” Ellis said. “The Pistons’ mutiny in 2011 is a great example of the kind of controversy and dysfunction that can come with covering a bad team. That kind of stuff doesn’t happen when you’re covering a good team!”

For those who don’t remember, the mutiny that Ellis mentioned occurred in 2011. Half of the Pistons’ roster (including Richard Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince, Tracy McGrady and Ben Wallace among others) refused to show up for a morning shootaround to send the message that they wanted head coach John Kuester to be fired. Ellis’ coverage of the mutiny received national attention, as he appeared on numerous television and radio shows that week. But that wasn’t even the most controversy-laden season he’s covered while on the Pistons beat.

“That 2008-09 season with Allen Iverson is probably still the most memorable season that I’ve covered – seeing Iverson refuse to acknowledge the fact that he was a diminished player and seeing that a player who is a sure-fire, first-ballot Hall of Famer can still wreck a locker room,” Ellis said. “To this day, out of my 12 seasons, that was the most fascinating season and I had a front-row seat for that dysfunction. If Joe Dumars doesn’t trade Chauncey Billups for Iverson, that season probably isn’t anywhere near as memorable for me.”

Depending on the circumstances, a losing season can generate just as many interesting stories as a winning squad (if not more). For example, Krawczynski covered Jimmy Butler’s trade request and subsequent exit from Minnesota, which gave him plenty to write about that season.

“When there’s major drama, that is where it really requires a lot of reporting experience, a lot of relationship-building, a lot of source work and essentially investigative journalism,” Krawczynski said. “We’re presenting a clear and accurate picture of what’s going on when times are tough. We’re wading through all of the BS that’s thrown our way and thrown the fans’ way to get to the bottom of things. It’s not pleasant and it’s not easy to do, but I think that’s where the really good reporters separate themselves from the mediocre ones.”

But just because a team is losing doesn’t necessarily mean there’s dysfunction. Some struggling teams are more interesting than others. Berman points out that there’s not much drama to cover when it comes to the 2019-20 Knicks, especially compared to how things were just a few years ago.

“When they’re losing amid controversy, there’s more interest,” Berman said. “When Phil Jackson was running the show, for more than three years he was always putting out one brush fire after another. Phil was always controversial. Now, there’s not really any of that. The only drama is if the Knicks continue to lose badly, David Fizdale’s seat will become hotter and hotter – and, yes, fans do like to read about [coaching changes].”

During the Trust-The-Process years, there wasn’t too much controversy surrounding those teams (aside from the tanking itself). All of the young guys in the locker room knew not to worry about losses – the goal was improving each day – and they were all happy to be there. Many of their players just weren’t NBA-caliber.

“During my first year on the beat, the Sixers were playing Indiana and I used to always get to the arena early to watch guys warm up,” Pompey said. “When Indiana’s [end-of-bench] players were warming up, they were making 80 percent of their shots (if not more). I looked at someone and said, ‘Wow, so this is a real NBA team?’ And the guy looked back at me and said, ‘Yeah, I don’t know what the hell you’re covering,’ and started laughing. It was bizarre; the Sixers just didn’t have it, man. Their guys just weren’t that good. That was one thing that really stood out to me – how much better these players who didn’t even play were than the Sixers’ [starters].”

Despite the fact that the Sixers didn’t have a realistic shot of winning on most nights and won just 47 of a possible 246 games in a three-season stretch from 2013 to 2016, Pompey kept fans informed about everything going on with the franchise. That’s what a beat writer does.

“Your job as a beat writer is always to tell the stories,” Katz says, “regardless of what’s going on.”

Philadelphia 76ers at Washington Wizards odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Thursday’s Philadelphia 76ers at Washington Wizards sports betting odds and lines, with NBA betting picks, tips and best bets.

The Philadelphia 76ers (15-6) visit the Washington Wizards (6-13) Thursday at Capital One Arena. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. ET. We analyze the 76ers-Wizards odds and lines, with NBA betting advice and tips around the matchup.


Place a legal sports bet on this NBA action or other games at BetMGM.


76ers at Wizards: Key injuries

76ers

  • SF Josh Richardson (hamstring) out

Wizards

  • C Thomas Bryant (foot) out
  • Ian Mahinmi (Achilles) questionable
  • SF C.J. Miles (wrist) out

76ers at Wizards: Odds, lines, picks and betting tips

NBA odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full set of today’s betting odds. Odds last updated at 11:10 a.m. ET.

Prediction

76ers 128, Wizards 114

Moneyline (ML)

The 76ers (-334) are heavy road favorites as they seek a fifth straight win. They’re 8-2 over their last 10 games, but just 5-6 on the road for the season. The Wizards (+260) have lost three straight including a 127-120 loss to the Orlando Magic at home their last time out. They’re 4-6 across their last 10 games and 3-5 on home court.

The visitors win this game, but the value will be on the spread. A $10 bet for the Sixers to simply win outright returns a profit of just $2.99.

Against the Spread (ATS)

Take PHILADELPHIA (-7.5, -115), laying the points on the road. It’ll need to win by at least eight points for the same $10 bet to fetch a profit of $8.70. The Sixers dropped the Utah Jazz 103-94 at home Monday, and seven of their 15 wins were by margins of at least eight points. Seven of the Wizards’ 13 losses were by eight or more points.

The Sixers are 9-11 against the spread overall and 4-6 on the road while the Wizards are 10-8 overall and 4-4 at home. Washington loses by an average of four points per game while Philly wins by 4.9 PPG.

Over/Under (O/U)

Washington is second in the league with an 11-7-1 record against the Over/Under while topping the projected totals by a league-high 11.3 points per game. Philadelphia is 9-12 against the projections and falls an average of two points shy of the number.

Take the OVER 234.5 (-106) with the Wizards having given up at least 125 points in each of their last three losses.

Want some action in this one? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Esten’s NBA betting record: 66-53

Follow @EstenMcLaren and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

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