Four NBA playoff games on the schedule Saturday, and they begin with Game 4 between the 76ers and Nets from Brooklyn. The hosts are slight underdogs at Sports Interaction.

NBA Point Spread and Betting Analysis

Different cast of characters somewhat, but the 76ers won both of their Game 4s in the 2018 postseason. They prevailed 106-102 in Miami to take a 3-1 first-round series lead and 103-92 at home vs. Boston in the conference semifinals, the only game Philadelphia would win in that series. Brooklyn is in the playoffs for the first time since 2015. The Nets are 7-8 in Saturday games this season, which includes last week’s 111-102 upset in Philadelphia to open this series.

With Philadelphia leading the series 2-1 following an easy 131-115 win in Brooklyn on Thursday, the 76ers are -625 on the updated series line with the Nets a +450. More in depth series props are a bit in flux as of this writing because of the status of Sixers star and the NBA’s best centre, Joel Embiid. He has been dealing with left knee soreness for months and sat more often than not since the All-Star break.

Embiid played the first two games and was very good but limited to a combined 45 minutes. He didn’t play in Game 3 and his status for Game 4 is likely to be a game-time call. Needless to say, his status going forward hangs huge over this series.

Philadelphia 76ers

Embiid, who missed 14 of his team’s final 24 regular-season games with the knee soreness, is officially listed as questionable for Game 4. Just like he was the first three games. Five guys in particular stepped up big time in Game 3 without the All-Star. First would be Greg Monroe, who started at centre and had nine points and 13 rebounds in 25 minutes. He spent 38 game with the Raptors earlier this season but rarely played before being released. Second would be backup big man Boban Marjanovic, who had 14 points and eight rebounds off the bench. Among the starters, Ben Simmons was 11-for-13 for 31 points, Tobias Harris exploded for 29 points after being quiet the first two games, and JJ Redick had 26. Perhaps the Sixers were so encouraged they sit Embiid again? We think they do. Philly is 2-5 ATS in its past seven after a win.

Brooklyn Nets

Any chance the Nets had to win this series probably went out the window in the Game 2 loss. This team carped about a lack of respect following a Game 2 loss when Embiid and Simmons were laughing post-game about a vicious elbow Embiid landed on Jarrett Allen. Yet, the Nets came out flat Thursday and never recovered. D’Angelo Russell had 26 points and Caris LeVert the same off the bench, but otherwise not much to be excited about. Brooklyn shot only 41.1 per cent and 8-for-39 from deep – this team lives and dies by the three-pointer. Ed Davis was a non-factor for the second straight game and hasn’t looked healthy since tweaking an ankle in Game 1, when he was a factor. Brooklyn is 9-4 ATS in its past 13 following a double-digit loss.