The Philadelphia 76ers look to avoid elimination in Game 6 against the Atlanta Hawks on Friday in the 2021 NBA Playoffs. Philadelphia trails Atlanta 3-2 in a best-of-seven clash, with the top-seeded Sixers losing the last two games. Doc Rivers and his team now must travel to Atlanta in a win-or-go-home scenario. Joel Embiid (knee) is questionable for the 76ers, with Danny Green (calf) ruled out. Trae Young (shoulder) is listed as probable for the Hawks, with De'Andre Hunter (knee) and Cam Reddish (Achilles) ruled out.
Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET. The latest 76ers vs. Hawks odds from William Hill Sportsbook list Philadelphia as a 2.5-point road favorite. The total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, or the over-under, is 223, up half a point from the opening line. Before finalizing any Hawks vs. 76ers picks, be sure to check out the NBA predictions and betting advice from SportsLine's proven computer model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned almost $9,000 in profit on its top-rated NBA picks over the past two-plus seasons. The model is up almost $700 on its top-rated picks this season and entered this week of the 2021 NBA Playoffs on a stunning 100-66 roll on top-rated NBA picks against the spread dating back to last season. Anybody who has followed it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Hawks vs. Sixers. You can head to SportsLine now to see its picks. Here are several NBA betting lines and trends for Sixers vs. Hawks:
- 76ers vs. Hawks spread: 76ers -2.5
- 76ers vs. Hawks over-under: 223 points
- 76ers vs. Hawks money line: 76ers -145, Hawks +125
- PHL: The 76ers are 5-5 against the spread in the last 10 games
- ATL: The Hawks are 7-3 against the spread in the last 10 games
Why the 76ers can cover
Philadelphia has arguably been the better team for a majority of this series, even while trailing 3-2. There have been some minutes of inexplicable performance, but the Sixers are talented and effective, as evidenced by their top-seeded pedigree. Philadelphia was the second-best defensive team in the NBA during the regular season, and the Sixers are holding opponents to fewer than 1.09 points per possession in the NBA Playoffs 2021. Embiid is a huge part of that success defensively, anchoring the team's rim protection, and the All-NBA center, when healthy, also drives Philadelphia's offense.
Embiid is averaging 32.0 points and 13.0 rebounds per game in the series and, in four of the five games, he has been utterly dominant. As a team, the 76ers are scoring 118.4 points per 100 possessions in the postseason, riding a 60.4 percent true shooting mark in the process. Atlanta improved its defense in 2020-21 when compared to previous seasons, but the Hawks still landed below league-average in overall efficiency, and they could be vulnerable in a pressure-packed spot.
Why the Hawks can cover
Atlanta is playing with house money after two comeback wins in a row. As currently constructed, the Hawks are also the deeper team, with Young headlining a group of burgeoning shot creators and play finishers that has given Philadelphia fits. The Hawks scored 40 points in the fourth quarter of Game 5, with Young and Lou Williams find ways through Philadelphia's normally stout defense. For the season, Atlanta was well above average on the offensive end, scoring more than 1.14 points per possession.
That efficiency was bolstered by top-six marks in free-throw creation (24.2 attempts per game), free-throw accuracy (81.2 percent) and offensive rebound rate (28.4 percent). On the defensive end, Atlanta's numbers were more modest, but the Hawks found real success whenever Clint Capela was on the floor. After a shaky first half in Game 5, Capela seemed to find his footing against Embiid, and he was the anchor of a defense that held Philadelphia without a single field goal for more than six minutes in the closing period.
How to make Hawks vs. 76ers picks
SportsLine's model is leaning under on the total, projecting 217 combined points. The model also says one side of the spread hits well over 50 percent of the time. You can get this pick only on SportsLine.
So who wins Hawks vs. 76ers? And which side of the spread hits well over 50 percent of the time? Visit SportsLine now to find out which side of the 76ers vs. Hawks spread you need to jump on, all from the model that has crushed its NBA picks.
