NBA Odds: Philadelphia 76ers bounce back against Washington Wizards

On Friday the Philadelphia 76ers were blown out at home for the 2nd time this week. But the NBA odds say the Sixers will cover the 12½ against the Wizards.

The Philadelphia 76ers have suddenly forgotten how to win at Wells Fargo Center. After opening the season with 14 consecutive wins at home, the Sixers have lost two in a row there — Friday in blowout fashion. But the NBA odds have a lot of reasons to believe in the 76ers Saturday, even if they are fighting against a double-digit spread.

According to information provided courtesy of The Sports Network, Philadelphia is favored by 12½ points on a SEGABABA Saturday night. But this might just be the get-well tonic the 76ers need — a matchup with the battered Washington Wizards, who have been decimated by injuries of late. As if the Sixers needed more incentive, there was that nasty loss in D.C. on Dec. 5.

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The 76ers are in a rough patch, no question. They’ve gone just 1-5 against the spread over their last six games and are just 3-4 ATS in their last seven at home. Washington has covered (and won outright) two of the last three times they’ve faced Philadelphia, including the 119-113 victory as eight-point home dogs on Dec. 5.

In their loss at Toronto Friday night, The Wizards climbed back from an 18-point deficit in the first half before losing 122-118. But the odds do not favor a banged-up team that isn’t very good to begin with on a road-road SEGABABA.

Philadelphia’s three straight losses overall are all to above-.500 clubs — the Nets, Heat and Mavericks. Washington comes in at 8-19 SU and 2-8 SU over its last 10 games, even as it has covered four of those games. The Wizards are 4-12 SU on the road, but have been a sneaky road cover pick at 9-6-1 ATS.

But so many injuries on a road-road back-to-back against two of the top teams in the Eastern Conference? That’s perhaps more than the Wizards can handle. Take the Sixers.

Washington Wizards at Philadelphia 76ers (minus 12½)

TV: NBC Sports Washington+ (Wizards), NBC Sports Philadelphia (76ers)
Tickets: Wells Fargo Center, 7 p.m. Eastern
Records: Washington 8-19 (14-12-1 ATS, 9-6-1 road ATS), Philadelphia 20-10 (13-16-1 ATS, 7-8-1 home ATS)

Availability report (per official NBA injury report released at 8:30 p.m. Eastern on Friday)
Washington: Not required to submit report until 1 p.m. Eastern Saturday. In their 122-118 loss at Toronto, the Wizards did not have Thomas Bryant (stress reaction, right foot), Rui Hachimura (groin injury), Jordan McRae (right ring finger surgery), C.J. Miles (left wrist surgery), Justin Robinson (G League). Moritz Wagner (sprained left ankle) or John Wall (left Achilles rehab).
Philadelphia: Not required to submit report until 1 p.m. Eastern Saturday. In their 117-98 loss at home to the Mavericks, the 76ers were without Jonah Bolden (G League), Shake Milton (G League), Marial Shayok (two-way, G League) and Zhaire Smith (G League).

Here is the rest of Saturday’s nine-game NBA schedule:

Utah Jazz (minus 6) at Charlotte Hornets

TV: AT&T SportsNet-Rocky Mountain (Jazz), Fox Sports Southeast-Charlotte (Hornets)
Tickets: Spectrum Center, 5 p.m. Eastern
Records: Utah 17-11 (11-17 ATS, 5-9 road ATS), Charlotte 13-18 (16-14-1 ATS, 8-7 home ATS)

Availability report
Utah: OUT–Mike Conley (left hamstring strain), Juwan Morgan (G League), Nigel Williams-Goss (G League), Justin Wright-Foreman (two-way, G League).
Charlotte: OUT–Robert Franks (two-way, G League), Caleb Martin (G League), Jalen McDaniels (G League), Kobi Simmons (two-way, G League), PJ Washington (right fifth finger fracture).

Notable: The Utah Jazz are only 4-6 ATS over their last 10 games, including a 2-3 ATS mark on the road. The Charlotte Hornets have covered six of their last 10 and have split their last six home games at 3-3 ATS. Utah has only covered twice in its last six games against the Hornets, as well, and has gone 1-4 ATS in its last five games at Charlotte.

However, the Jazz have won the last three meetings with the Hornets outright and covered in two of those games. This is the teams’ first matchup this season. Charlotte is 5-1 ATS in its last six games and have won four of those outright.

Atlanta Hawks at Brooklyn Nets (minus 7½)

TV: YES Network (Nets), Fox Sports Southeast-Atlanta (Hawks)
Tickets: Barclays Center, 6 p.m. Eastern
Records: Atlanta 6-23 (13-16 ATS, 5-10 road ATS), Brooklyn 15-13 (15-13 ATS, 8-5 home ATS)

Availability report
Atlanta: OUT–Charlie Brown (two-way, G League), John Collins (league suspension), Brandon Goodwin (two-way, G League); PROBABLE–Chandler Parsons (right wrist inflammation).
Brooklyn: OUT–Nicolas Claxton (left hamstring soreness), Kevin Durant (right Achilles rehab), Henry Ellenson (two-way, G League), Kyrie Irving (right shoulder impingement), Caris LeVert (right thumb surgery), David Nwaba (right Achilles tear).

Notable: Even though the Brooklyn Nets just emerged from the depths of the NBA last season, they’ve been almost as reliable as death and taxes when playing the Atlanta Hawks. They’re 9-1 straight up over the last 10 meetings, with an 8-2 ATS mark. The Nets cruised in their first meeting this season, winning 130-118 at Atlanta on Dec. 4 as three-point road favorites.

The Nets are 7-3 ATS over their last 10 games, while the Hawks are 4-6 ATS over their last 10, losing eight of 10 straight up. Atlanta has only gotten the cover once in their last five games on the road, while Brooklyn has covered four of its last five games at Barclays Center. To add to those opposite-direction trends, the Hawks are 1-4 ATS in their last five visits to Brooklyn.

Chicago Bulls at Detroit Pistons (minus 3½)

TV: NBC Sports Chicago (Bulls), Fox Sports Detroit+ (Pistons)
Tickets: Little Caesars Arena, 7 p.m. Eastern
Records: Chicago 11-19 (16-14 ATS, 8-6 road ATS), Detroit 11-18 (11-17-1 ATS, 7-8 home ATS)

Availability report
Chicago: OUT–Cristiano Felicio (G League), Chandler Hutchison (right shoulder soreness), Adam Mokoka (two-way, G League), Otto Porter (left foot fracture), Max Strus (two-way, G League); PROBABLE–Ryan Arcidiacono (right elbow discomfort), Wendell Carter Jr. (left abdomen maintenance/tailbone contusion), Zach LaVine (right shin contusion).
Detroit: Not required to submit report until 1 p.m. Eastern Saturday. In their 114-93 loss at Boston Friday night, the Pistons did not have Jordan Bone (two-way, G League), Blake Griffin (left knee soreness-injury recovery), Reggie Jackson (stress reaction, left lumbar spine), Luke Kennard (bilateral knee soreness), Louis King (two-way, G League), Khyri Thomas (right foot surgery) or Christian Wood (bone bruise, left knee).

Notable: The Detroit Pistons have been installed as favorites, even though they are on a road-home SEGABABA while the Chicago Bulls have had two days off. Both teams are 5-5 SU over their last 10 games, but while the Pistons are also 5-5 ATS over that span; 1-4 ATS in their last five games, Chicago is a sizzling 8-2 ATS in its last 10 contests; 6-1 ATS over its last seven.

But Detroit is 6-3 ATS in its last nine against the Bulls. The problem for the Pistons is timing. They’ve already played their two road games at Chicago for this season and misfired both times, losing 112-106 on Nov. 1 as four-point road dogs and getting smoked 109-89 on Nov. 20 as a one-point road favorite.

Milwaukee Bucks (minus 12½) at New York Knicks

TV: Fox Sports Wisconsin (Bucks), MSG Network (Knicks)
Tickets: Madison Square Garden, 7:30 p.m. Eastern
Records: Milwaukee 25-4 (16-13 ATS, 7-6 road ATS), New York 7-22 (15-14 ATS, 7-7 home ATS)

Availability report
Milwaukee: OUT–Dragan Bender (right ankle sprain), Eric Bledsoe (right fibula, avulsion fracture), Frank Mason (two-way, G League), Cameron Reynolds (two-way, G League); DOUBTFUL–Wesley Matthews (right thigh contusion); PROBABLE–Giannis Antetokounmpo (back soreness).
New York: Not required to submit report until 1 p.m. Eastern Saturday. In Friday’s 129-114 loss at Miami, the Knicks were without Kadeem Allen (two-way, G League), Ignas Brazdeikis (G League), Reggie Bullock (cervical disc herniation), Wayne Ellington (sore left Achilles) and Ivan Rabb (two-way, G League).

Notable: If ever there was a game that just screamed “TRAP!!!!” it would be Friday’s matchup between the Milwaukee Bucks and New York Knicks. The Bucks are coming in off a huge win on national TV Thursday night over the Lakers and now get to play the moribund Knicks. Milwaukee, though, is 8-2 ATS over its last 10 games — covering each of its last two on the road.

New York has been a bit feistier since a coaching change and have gone 4-1 ATS over its last five games. When the Knicks went to Milwaukee on Dec. 2, it was an unmitigated disaster — a 132-88 pummeling as 17-point underdogs. Ouch. New York has lost and failed to cover in each of its last three meetings with Milwaukee, as well, so maybe not as big a trap as it might initially seem.

Sacramento Kings (minus 1½) at Memphis Grizzlies

TV: NBC Sports California (Kings), Fox Sports Southeast-Memphis (Grizzlies)
Tickets: FedExForum, 8 p.m. Eastern (7 p.m. local)
Records: Sacramento 12-16 (16-12 ATS, 11-6 road ATS), Memphis 10-19 (13-16 ATS, 7-9 home ATS)

Availability report
Sacramento: Not required to submit report until 2 p.m. Eastern. In their 119-105 loss at Indiana Friday night, the Kings did not have Trevor Ariza (personal), Bogdan Bogdanovic (right ankle soreness), Wenyen Gabriel (G League), Kyle Guy (two-way, G League), DaQuan Jeffries (two-way, G League) or Caleb Swanigan (G League).
Memphis: Not required to submit report until 2 p.m. Eastern. In their 114-107 loss at Cleveland Friday night, the Grizzlies were without Andre Iguodala (not with team), Josh Jackson (G League), John Konchar (two-way, G League) and Yuta Watanabe (two-way, G League).

Notable: The Sacramento Kings come in as favorites, but have lost their first two road games on the East Coast during their current trip and are 1-4 ATS over their last five games. The Memphis Grizzlies have gone 5-2 ATS over their last seven contests, but lost outright Friday night as a 2½-point favorite at Cleveland.

Both teams are on SEGABABAs, with the Kings on a road-road pairing after playing at Indiana Friday night and the Grizzlies on a road-home tandem. It is the first meeting this season between the teams, with Sacramento winning and covering in two of the previous three games.

LA Clippers (minus 5½) at San Antonio Spurs

TV: Fox Sports Prime Ticket (Clippers), KMYS (Spurs)
Tickets: AT&T Center, 8:30 p.m. Eastern (7:30 p.m. local)
Records: LA 21-9 (16-13 ATS, 6-8 road ATS), San Antonio 11-16 (8-18-1 ATS, 4-11 home ATS)

Availability report
LA: OUT–Amir Coffey (two-way, G League), Terance Mann (G League), Johnathan Motley (two-way, G League); QUESTIONABLE–JaMychal Green (tailbone contusion).
San Antonio: OUT–Drew Eubanks (two-way, G League), Keldon Johnson (G League), Luka Samanic (G League), Quinndary Weatherspoon (two-way, G League).

Notable: The LA Clippers come in having gone 5-2 ATS over their last seven games, but coming off a loss at home to the Rockets on Thursday. The San Antonio Spurs have been awful covering at home this season, but hammered the Nets by 13 on Thursday as four-point underdogs. Over their last 10 games, the Clippers are 7-3 ATS, while the Spurs are just 4-5-1 ATS.

This is the third meeting between the teams this season, with LA winning 103-97 as five-point favorites at home on Oct. 31 and San Antonio getting a 107-97 victory as five-point dogs at home on Nov. 29. And while looking at the Spurs’ dreadful record covering at home, it should also be noted San Antonio is 3-1-1 in its last five games at AT&T Center.

Houston Rockets (minus 5½) at Phoenix Suns

TV: AT&T SportsNet-Southwest (Rockets), Fox Sports Arizona (Suns), NBA TV (national)
Tickets: Talking Stick Resort Arena, 9 p.m. Eastern (7 p.m. local)
Records: Houston 19-9 (13-15 ATS, 7-7 road ATS), Phoenix 11-17 (15-12-1 ATS, 8-7-1 home ATS)

Availability report
Houston: OUT–Michael Frazier (two-way, G League), Eric Gordon (right knee arthroscopy), Gerald Green (left cuneiform fracture), Isaiah Hartenstein (G League), Nene (left adductor strain).
Phoenix: Not required to submit report until 3 p.m. Eastern. In their 126-108 loss at Oklahoma City Friday night, the Suns did not have Deandre Ayton (right ankle sprain) or Jared Harper (two-way, G League).

Notable: While the Houston Rockets are just 2-5 ATS over their last seven games, they roll into Talking Stick Resort Arena on a day’s rest to face a Phoenix Suns team on a road-home SEGABABA. Phoenix has lost five in a row straight up, going 1-3-1 ATS over that span, and is 2-1-1 ATS in its last four at home.

The Rockets have gotten three covers in their last five road games, but failed to cover in their 115-109 victory at Houston on Dec. 7, when Houston was an 11.5-point home favorite. That fits the recent trend between the teams — Phoenix is 0-3 against the Rockets in the last three meetings, but 2-1 ATS.

Minnesota Timberwolves at Portland Trail Blazers (minus 6½)

TV: Fox Sports North (Timberwolves), NBC Sports Northwest (Trail Blazers)
Tickets: Moda Center, 10 p.m. Eastern (7 p.m. local)
Records: Minnesota 10-17 (10-16-1 ATS, 8-6 road ATS), Portland 13-16 (13-16 ATS, 6-7 home ATS)

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Availability report
Minnesota: Not required to submit report until 4 p.m. Eastern. In their 109-100 loss at Denver Friday night, the Timberwolves were without Jake Layman (left toe sprain), Kelan Martin (two-way, G League), Jordan McLaughlin (two-way, G League), Naz Reid (G League) and Karl-Anthony Towns (left knee sprain).
Portland: Not required to submit report until 4 p.m. Eastern. In their 118-103 win over the Magic Friday night, the Trail Blazers did not have Zach Collins (left shoulder dislocation), Rodney Hood (left Achilles’ tendon rupture), Nassir Little (back spasms) or Jusuf Nurkic (left leg fracture).

Notable: It’s SEGABABAs for everyone in this matchup, with the Minnesota Timberwolves completing a road-road pairing of games and the Portland Trail Blazers at home for the second consecutive night. The Timberwolves are in a free fall right now, losing nine in a row straight up and going 1-8 ATS during the skid.

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Portland has won six of its last 10 games, going 4-6 ATS during that span. The Blazers have covered each of their last six home games with Minnesota. In the last three meetings between the teams, Portland has won twice and covered twice. This will be the first matchup for the Northwest Division rivals this season.

NBA odds: Philadelphia 76ers bounce back big against Washington Wizards

By Phil Watson | Dec 21, 2019