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After linking up to perform one of the biggest moves in NBA history at the 2022 NBA trade deadline, the Brooklyn Nets and Philadelphia 76ers will meet for the first time since the transaction on Thursday. Ben Simmons is yet to make his debut for the Nets and is working his way back into playing shape, but James Harden has already made a sizable impact for the Sixers. Philadelphia has won all five of the games that Harden has played since the trade and is up to third in the Eastern Conference standings while the Nets currently sit eighth.

The game will be played at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia and tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET. A road game means that Kyrie Irving will be available fresh off a 50-point night against the Hornets, but Philadelphia is the 4.5-point favorite in the 76ers vs. Nets odds from Caesars Sportsbook. The over-under for total points is set at 235. Before making any Nets vs. 76ers 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 has returned well over $10,000 in profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past three-plus seasons. The model enters Week 20 of the 2021-22 NBA season on a stunning 74-47 roll on all top-rated NBA picks, returning almost $2,100. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.

Now, the model has set its sights on Nets vs. Sixers, and just locked in its picks and NBA predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model's picks. Now, here are several NBA odds and betting lines for Sixers vs. Nets:

  • Nets vs. 76ers spread: 76ers -4.5
  • Nets vs. 76ers over-under: 235 points
  • Nets vs. 76ers money line: 76ers -190, Nets +160
  • BKN: The Nets are 6-6-1 against the spread in Atlantic Division games
  • PHL: The 76ers are 6-7 against the spread in Atlantic Division games

Why the Nets can cover

Brooklyn ultimately traded Harden away because the Big Three experiment with he, Irving and Kevin Durant wasn't successful enough, but it's been tough sledding since the deal was done with Durant nursing an ankle injury and Irving only able to play on the road. However, Durant returned on March 3 and has averaged 27.3 points per game in the three games since he's been back.

Meanwhile, Irving dropped 50 on 15-of-19 shooting to give the Nets their first win since Feb. 26 against the Bucks on Tuesday night. There's clearly an increasing rivalry between these two squads since the deal, and with Harden and Embiid meshing well, the Nets will need big nights from both Durant and Irving to stay within the number on Thursday.

Why the 76ers can cover

Philadelphia's offense is dynamic, scoring 111.9 points per 100 possessions for the full season. That ranks in the top 10 of the NBA in offensive efficiency, and the 76ers are shooting 46.4 percent from the field. Philadelphia is No. 1 in the NBA in free-throw accuracy, making 81.8 percent of attempts, and the 76ers take advantage of that strength with a top-five mark in free-throw attempts (23.1 per game). 

The 76ers also take care of the ball, maximizing possessions and averaging only 12.4 turnovers per game (No. 2 in the NBA). Brooklyn's defense is porous, ranking No. 24 in the NBA in defensive efficiency. The Nets are No. 26 in defensive rebound rate and No. 24 in turnover creation rate, with Brooklyn also landing below the NBA average in free-throw prevention on defense.

How to make 76ers vs. Nets picks

SportsLine's model is leaning under on the total, projecting 233 combined points. The model also says one side of the spread hits in 60 percent of simulations. You can only see the model's pick at SportsLine.

So who wins Nets vs. Sixers? And which side of the spread hits in 60 percent of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to find out which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model that has crushed its NBA picks, and find out.