76ers vs. Warriors Prediction: NBA Odds, Point Spread
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Andrew Rogers
The loss of their superstar centre hasn’t impacted the Philadelphia 76ers place in the Eastern Conference standings – at least, not yet. The 76ers carry a two-game winning streak – and a slim lead atop the East – into a Tuesday night road encounter with a Golden State Warriors team missing its own star player. The Sixers will be without Joel Embiid, who is sidelined with a bone bruise in his knee, while the Warriors’ Steph Curry will sit with a bruised tailbone.
NBA Point Spread and Betting Analysis
The fact that Philadelphia is a 4-point road favourite to win on the NBA odds, despite missing a player who averages nearly 30 points per game, is a testament to the depth of the team. And the 76ers haven’t missed a beat, having gone 8-1 SU and 7-1-1 against the spread in their previous nine games overall. But the challenge they face Tuesday night is a daunting one, at least where recent history is concerned, with Golden State having won 12 of the previous 14 meetings between the teams.
That trend has had zero impact on the betting public, with 78 per cent of Sports Interaction respondents siding with the visitors. And a slight majority are leaning toward the Over on the total of 216.5 – a number that would probably be at least 10 points higher with Embiid and Curry in action. Golden State was building an impressive Under trend even with Curry in the lineup, having gone 4-9 O/U in its previous 13 games overall.
Philadelphia 76ers
When you have players as skilled and versatile as Tobias Harris, it makes things a lot easier when you lose a star to injury. Harris has been sensational in five games since Embiid went down, averaging 24.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 1.8 steals while leading the 76ers to four victories and a tough OT loss to Milwaukee. Harris should be a popular prop play Tuesday against the Warriors, as he averages a healthy 22.6 points for the month of March.
Golden State Warriors
He’s no Curry (and who is?), but backup point guard Jordan Poole has fared well in the absence of Golden State’s dead-eye shooter. Poole averaged 26.5 points in two games in Memphis and has poured in 23+ points in three straight games. The Warriors’ 2019 first-round pick has been red-hot for a while now, averaging 20.9 points on 54.5-per cent shooting for the month – and he should also see plenty of player prop action in this one.
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