The Brooklyn Nets host the Philadelphia 76ers in an Eastern Conference showdown on Thursday. The Nets are 23-9 overall and 10-6 at home, with the 76ers entering at 18-16 overall and 12-8 in road tilts. Danny Green (protocols) and Ben Simmons (personal) are out for Philadelphia, with Shake Milton (protocols) listed as questionable for the 76ers. Kyrie Irving (ineligible) and Joe Harris (ankle) are out for Brooklyn, with Kevin Durant set to return for the Nets.
Brooklyn is listed as a 5.5-point favorite at Barclays Center, and tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET. The total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, or the Over-Under, is 222.5 in the latest odds. Before you make any NBA predictions with the 76ers vs. Nets match-up, you need to see what SportsLine's advanced computer simulation model has to say.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in profit on its top-rated NBA picks over the past three-plus seasons. The model enters Week 11 of the 2021-22 NBA season on a stunning 48-24 roll on all top-rated NBA picks, returning almost $2,000. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Sixers vs. Nets, and just revealed 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 Nets vs. Sixers:
- 76ers vs. Nets spread: Nets -5.5
- 76ers vs. Nets over-under: 222.5 points
- 76ers vs. Nets money line: Nets -210, 76ers +175
- PHL: The 76ers are 11-9 against the spread in road games
- BKN: The Nets are 4-11-1 against the spread in home games
Why the 76ers can cover
Philadelphia is solid across the board, and that manifests in the numbers. The Sixers are scoring 109.7 points per 100 possessions this season, in part due to ball security and free-throw shooting. Philadelphia is turning the ball over on only 12.4 occasions per game, with the 76ers leading the NBA in free-throw accuracy at 82.2 percent. The 76ers may also benefit from an edge in the possession battle, as the Nets are below-average in forcing turnovers, avoiding turnovers, offensive rebound rate, and defensive rebound rate this season.
On defense, Philadelphia leads the NBA in blocked shots (6.0 per game), and the 76ers are above-average in steals (7.9 per game), field-goal percentage allowed (45.1 percent) and 2-point percentage allowed (51.4 percent). The 76ers also rank in the top 10 of the NBA in free-throw attempts allowed (20.1 per game) and assists allowed (23.1 per game) this season.
Why the Nets can cover
Brooklyn is renowned for its offense, and the Nets project to have both Durant and James Harden available to key that unit on Thursday. However, the Nets have been tremendous defensively this season, and this is a friendly matchup on that end. Brooklyn is allowing only 1.06 points per possession in 2021-22, ranking in the top five of the NBA in defensive efficiency. Opponents are shooting just 42.7 percent from the floor and 31.1 percent from three-point range against the Nets, with Brooklyn limiting the opposition to only 22.2 assists per game.
Brooklyn also rejects 5.5 shots per game, and Philadelphia has notable offensive weaknesses that could be exploited by the Nets. The 76ers are No. 28 in the NBA in three-pointers, No. 25 in the NBA in assists, and dead-last in the NBA in offensive rebound rate this season.
How to make 76ers vs. Nets picks
SportsLine's model is leaning under on the total, with only six players projected to score in double figures. The model also says one side of the spread hits in almost 60 percent of simulations. You can only get the model's Nets vs. 76ers pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Nets vs. 76ers? And which side of the spread hits in almost 60 percent of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the 76ers vs. Nets spread you need to jump on Thursday, all from the model that has crushed its NBA picks, and find out.
