NBA Free
Pick | 76ers at Wizards
The
Philadelphia 76ers opened up a commanding 2-0 lead over Washington in its
first-round playoff series. The East’s top seed can put an abrupt end to this
series by winning two straight in Washington.
Philadelphia
won its only game in Washington this season, 127-101. Joel Embiid scored 23
points but left the game in the third quarter with an injury. Ben Simmons
didn’t play.
Heading
into Saturday night’s game, Wizards star Russell Westbrook is listed as
day-to-day after suffering an injury to his right ankle. With or without
Westbrook, NBA
bettors know it’s going to be difficult to beat
Philadelphia.
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Game:
Philadelphia 76ers (51-23, 39-31-4 ATS) at Washington Wizards (35-41, 43-32-1
ATS)
When:
7:00 PM ET, Saturday, May 29, 2021
Where:
Capital One Arena, Washington, D.C.
Current
Line: PHI -5.5 Total:
227.5
TV Coverage:
ESPN
Which
Team Will Show?
The Sixers
were favored by eight in Game 1 and failed to cover, but blew out the Wizards
in Game 2 as an 8.5-point favorite. Now playing on the road, Philly is a
5.5-point favorite on Saturday.
With Thursday
and Friday off, Westbrook should have enough time to recover and be ready to
play. He might not be 100 percent, but even at 80 he’s better than most.
Then, there
is a historical trend that favors the Wizards. Teams that begin a series down
2-0 and then return home in Game 3 tend to do very well … in the first half.
In our last
NBA pick, we had Portland to cover the 6-points. They won by 22. Go check out
our Spurs
at Trail Blazers betting preview.
Since 2005,
a team returning home to play Game 3 down 2-0 in a playoff series is 80-38-2
ATS in the first half of the next game. It makes sense. A team down 2-0 doesn’t
want to go down 3-0 because no team in NBA history has ever overcome a 3-0
deficit and won a playoff series.
INSIDE
LOOK AT THE 2021 NBA SEASON
History
Matters
If you
break it down to just the last five postseasons, the first half cover
percentage is even greater. Teams down 2-0 playing Game 3 at home are 29-6 ATS
in the first half. That’s a win 82.9 percent of the time.
The problem
for Washington is that the game is not over after you play the first half. The
Wizards started well in Game 1 and led at the half by a single point. The
Sixers then outscored Washington 64-56 to win.
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BECOME A BOOKIE
76ers at
Wizards Free Pick
Game 2 was
never really in doubt as Philly started quickly and outscored the Wizards 49-38
in the second half while giving several minutes to members of the Sixers’
bench.
Philadelphia
has beaten Washington in seven straight games. There is no question they are
the better team. The Wizards will be hyped up as they are playing at home and
looking to stave off a 3-0 deficit in the series.
While the
Wizards will play the Sixers tough in the first half, Philly is just too strong
and will run away with it in the second. Plus, there is the issue of Westbrook.
It’s likely he will not be 100 percent and while he is still an elite player at
less than full strength it just won’t be enough to beat the top seed in the
East. Sixers win and cover.
76ERS AT
WIZARDS FREE PICK: SIXERS -5.5