The Philadelphia 76ers and Brooklyn Nets meet for an Atlantic Division clash on Saturday evening. The Sixers are 30-17 overall this season, including a road win over the Utah Jazz on Thursday. The Nets are 19-28 overall and 7-15 away from Brooklyn this season, with this matchup taking place at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. Joel Embiid (knee), Robert Covington (knee), and De'Anthony Melton (back) are out for Philadelphia, with Nicolas Batum (hamstring) and Marcus Morris (foot) listed as questionable. Dorian Finney-Smith (ankle) and Day'Ron Sharpe (knee) are out for Brooklyn, with Dennis Smith Jr. (foot) listed as questionable.
SportsLine consensus lists Philadelphia as the 2.5-point favorite for this 6 p.m. ET tip. The total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, or the over/under, is 232.5 in the latest Nets vs. 76ers odds. Before making any 76ers vs. Nets picks, you'll want to see the NBA predictions from the model at SportsLine.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past five-plus seasons. The model enters Week 15 of the 2023-24 NBA season on a sizzling 48-30 roll on all top-rated NBA picks this season, returning over $1,700. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.
The model has set its sights on Sixers vs. Nets. You can head to SportsLine now to see the picks. Here are several NBA betting lines for Nets vs. Sixers:
- Nets vs. 76ers spread: 76ers -2.5
- Nets vs. 76ers over/under: 232.5 points
- Nets vs. 76ers money line: 76ers -143, Nets +121
- Brooklyn: The Nets are 8-13 against the spread in road games
- Philadelphia: The 76ers are 16-7 against the spread in home games
- Nets vs. 76ers picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why the 76ers can cover
Philadelphia is operating without Embiid, but the 76ers have another All-Star in Tyrese Maxey. He is coming off a 51-point game on Thursday against the Utah Jazz, and Maxey is averaging 26.3 points and 6.4 assists per game this season. That includes a 25-point, 10-assist performance in the first game against Brooklyn, and the 76ers won that game by 22 points while scoring more than 1.27 points per possession against the Nets. With Maxey at the helm, the 76ers are tremendous on offense, ranking firmly in the top five in overall offensive efficiency, free throw creation, free throw accuracy, turnover avoidance and fast break points per game.
On defense, Philadelphia is also stout, allowing fewer than 1.13 points per possession. The 76ers are in the top five in 3-point percentage allowed (34.2%), steals (8.9 per game), turnovers created (14.7 per game), and blocked shots (6.1 per game) this season, and Brooklyn has notable offensive shortcomings. The Nets are in the bottom five of the NBA in field goal percentage (46.1%), including only 52.9% on 2-point attempts, and Brooklyn is averaging only 21.4 free throw attempts per contest. See who to back at SportsLine.
Why the Nets can cover
Mikal Bridges leads the way for Brooklyn, and the two-way wing is playing well in recent days. Bridges is averaging 21.9 points per game this season, and that jumps to 26.2 points on 41.7% 3-point shooting over his last 11 outings. Bridges is the fulcrum of an offense that ranks in the top six of the league in 3-pointers (13.8 per game), and the Nets are in the top ten of the NBA in turnover avoidance (12.7 per game) and second-chance points (15.0 per game).
Brooklyn also shares the ball well, averaging 26.6 assists per game, and the Nets have tangible defensive strengths. Opponents are shooting only 46.8% from the field and 52.5% inside the arc against Brooklyn this season, and the Nets are allowing only 25.7 assists per game. The Nets are also blocking 5.4 shots per game, and Brooklyn is in the top six of the NBA in allowing only 46.8 points in the paint per contest. Finally, Philadelphia is not the same team without Embiid, and the reigning MVP will be sidelined for this matchup. See who to back at SportsLine.
How to make Nets vs. 76ers picks
The model is leaning Under on the total, projecting 230 combined points. It's also generated a point-spread pick that hits 70% of the time. You can only see who to pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Sixers vs. Nets, and which side of the spread hits 70% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model on a 48-30 roll on top-rated NBA picks this season, and find out.
