Philadelphia 76ers vs San Antonio Spurs: 76ers have regained rhythm

COVID-19 continues to be a problematic presence in the world and the NBA is no less affected by its threat. In fact, every team has been disrupted by its peksy presence and well, what can we do other than trying to preserve through! And NBA players have also preserved through the endless stream and that is why we are here, discussing the game between the Philadelphia 76ers and the San Antonio Spurs. Philadelphia has 21 wins and 16 losses, right now on a five-game winning streak, meanwhile, the Spurs have 15 wins and 22 losses, losing four of their last five games. The Spurs will potentially be without Derrick White, Keldon Johnson, Doug McDermott, and Devin Vassell, all key rotation players, while the 76ers have been relatively healthier and showcased their full arsenal recently. Can the Spurs win one against the odds versus an on-song team? For my game result and total prediction, go to “Expert Betting Tips”.

Embiid the key for 76ers, Spurs are short-handed

Sixers and Embiid are grinding wins out: Philadelphia 76ers have a lot of tools to deploy. With Embiid in the middle, the paint scoring is ample, mid-range is sealed off, and his big frame and athleticism allow him to seize tough rebounds, and also allow him to play some top-notch defense. He is supported by Seth Curry, who is an off-guard but has played like a Point Guard recently, picking up his assists total significantly, meanwhile Tobias Harris continues to pour 15+ points regularly. Tyrese Maxey has been a more than decent scorer at the Guard position and with Drummond, Niang, and potentially Milton returning soon, the Sixers can field a physical team that can work wonders on both ends. Still, are the 76ers going to make a deep run without a bonafide playmaker in the mix? That is one question that has bothered me since the Ben Simmons sage has started.

Spurs are young and booming: A 15 wins and 22 losses record isn’t exactly the type of record that makes you say that a team has fared all that well, if you think about the Pacers, who almost have the same record, these types of records can disappoint fan bases. But when it comes to the Spurs, I feel the vibe is different, the team is largely young and has developed into one of the best passing squads in the league. Talking about passing, Dejounte Murray has been an exceptional playmaker and well, he is integral to the team’s schemes due to his all-around abilities. Now, with Johnson, McDermott, Vassell, and White gone, the team loses a lot of shooting and with White, also a superb passing option. Now, it means Poeltl, Murray, Bates-Diop, Forbes, and Lonnie Walker(questionable for this game) have their work cut out big-time. The Spurs can face a lot of trouble in this game as their perimeter will not be as effective(probably) as it usually has been.

Expert Betting tips

Points Range: The 76ers have scored 110 or more in five straight games now, something that wasn’t happening till mid-December or so. The Spurs defense can be vulnerable too and present such opportunities for this on-fire squad and I will not be surprised if Philly go past 115 or so. On the other hand, the Spurs have also struggled to get past 105 recently and even with Murray back, the team struggled to reach 100. I think now with White, McDermott, Johnson, and Vassell out of the fray, the Spurs offense doesn’t appear to be as free flowing. And that brings us to the 76ers, who have limited oppositions to 98-106 range these days. I think the 76ers can go past 108 while the Spurs may struggle to get around 105. The points range here seems to be 212-222.

Prediction: The 76ers are on a five-game winning streak and they have been clicking on all cylinders recently. On the other hand, the Spurs will struggle a lot without White, McDermott, Johnson, and Vassell, as the perimeter shooting, scoring, and rebounding(with Keldon gone) can be compromised. Still, with Murray in the mix, the Spurs can find motivation on both ends of the floor. Poeltl will have his hands with Embiid and meanwhile, Harris and Curry can pose problems scoring-wise for all of the Spurs team(even Embiid too!). Anyway, I think the 76ers will pick this game with 117:104. 

Betting Options

• Alternate Point Spread: Philadelphia 76ers -7.5 for 2.10;
• Player Props: Dejounte Murray Over 19.5 for 1.90;
• Total 1 Over 112.5 for 1.86.