The Philadelphia 76ers welcome the Los Angeles Lakers to town for an intriguing match-up on Wednesday evening. The 76ers will aim to improve on a stout 9-1 record at Wells Fargo Center this season. The Lakers are 10-0 on the road, however, and Los Angeles will attempt to build on the league's best overall mark at 14-4. Seth Curry (ankle) is officially listed as probable for the 76ers, with Mike Scott (knee) set to miss this game. Anthony Davis (ankle) is probable for the Lakers, with LeBron James (ankle) officially listed as questionable.
Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET in Philadelphia. William Hill Sportsbook lists the Lakers as four-point road favorites, while the over-under, or total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, is 222 in the latest Lakers vs. Sixers odds. Before you make any Sixers vs. Lakers picks, be sure to see the NBA predictions and betting advice from SportsLine's proven computer model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times, and it returned over $5,000 in profit on its top-rated NBA picks last season. The model is up nearly $8,100 over the past two-plus seasons. Dating back to last season, it is also on a stunning 69-40 roll on top-rated picks against the spread, returning almost $2,500 on those selections alone. Anybody who has followed it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Lakers vs. Sixers. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Now, here are several NBA odds and betting trends for Sixers vs. Lakers:
- Lakers vs. 76ers spread: Lakers -4
- Lakers vs. 76ers over-under: 222 points
- Lakers vs. 76ers money line: Lakers -185, 76ers +165
- LAL: The Lakers are 7-3 against the spread in the last 10 road games
- PHI: The 76ers are 7-3 against the spread at home this season
Why the Lakers can cover
The Lakers are the best defensive team in the NBA, headlined by Davis. Los Angeles is allowing fewer than 1.04 points per possession, No. 1 in the league, and the Lakers also lead the NBA in free throw rate allowed. Frank Vogel's team is No. 2 in defensive rebound rate (76.2 percent) and No. 4 in effective field goal percentage allowed (50.8 percent), while also being a top-five team in overall rebounding.
Offensively, the Lakers are also explosive behind Davis and James, putting up nearly 1.14 points per possession. That is backed by a top-five effective field goal shooting mark of 55.4 percent, and the Lakers lead the NBA in point differential.
Why the 76ers can cover
Philadelphia is strong on both ends, with Joel Embiid leading the way. Embiid is arguably the best center in the NBA, averaging 27.7 points and 11.5 rebounds per game, and he leads a top-five defense. Philadelphia is allowing only 1.07 points per possession this season, leading the NBA in blocked shots (6.6 per game) and landing in the top five in steals (8.9 per game) and effective field goal percentage allowed (51.4 percent). Los Angeles has few weaknesses, but one is ball security, with the Lakers committing a turnover on 15.0 percent of their offensive possessions this season.
Offensively, the Sixers are above-average, scoring 110.4 points per 100 possessions, and Philadelphia is second in the NBA in free throw rate. The home team also has a path to success on the offensive glass, pulling down 27.9 percent of their own missed shots this season.
How to make Lakers vs. Sixers picks
SportsLine's model is leaning over on the total, with the teams projected to combine for 227 points. The model also says one side of the spread hits in over 50 percent of simulations. You can get that pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Sixers vs. Lakers? And which side of the spread hits over 50 percent of the time? Visit SportsLine now to find out which side of the Lakers vs. Sixers spread you need to jump on, all from the model that has crushed its NBA picks.
