Paul George and the Oklahoma City Thunder will be looking to get back on track when they host Ben Simmons and a Philadelphia 76ers team that will be without all-star center Joel Embiid when the two NBA Finals hopefuls square off at Chesapeake Energy Arena on Thursday night. Now, let’s find out where the best betting value lies in this matchup.
76ers vs Thunder NBA Betting Odds & Expert Analysis
. 🚙💨 📍 OKC —– 📍NOLA@Kia | #HereTheyCome pic.twitter.com/QZLfD3Ow6A
— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) 28 de febrero de 2019
- When: Thursday February 28, 2019, 8:00 PM (EST)
- Where: Chesapeake Energy Arena, Oklahoma City, OK
- TV: TNT
- Radio: Philadelphia / Oklahoma City
- Live Stream: NBA League Pass
- NBA Odds: Oklahoma City -8 / Total: 239
Why Bet On Philadelphia?
The 76ers are looking rock-solid right now after winning five of their last seven games including a hard-fought 1
11-110 road win at New Orleans on Monday night. Tobias Harris led the way to victory with 29 points and 10 rebounds while veteran shooting guard J.J. Redick added 16 points and Ben Simmons contributed 14 points and 12 rebounds.
Philadelphia will be without All-Star center Joel Embiid for the second straight game and backup center Boban Marjanovic who was injured in Monday’s win over the Pelicans. Philly ranks fifth in scoring (115.7 ppg) and 20th in points allowed (112.3 ppg). Philadelphia dropped 19 straight games against Oklahoma City.
“We’ve lost some heartbreakers to them,” 76ers coach Brett Brown told reporters. “Historically, they have been really skilled and good when we really weren’t, so I think that 19 number is very much inflated because of some previous years.”
Team Statistics
Offense:- Average Score For: 115.66
- Field Goals: 47.40%
- Three Points: 35.96%
- Free Throws: 77.24%
- Rebounds: 46.97
- Average Score Against: 112.28
- Field Goals: 45.39%
- Three Points: 33.96%
- Free Throws: 78.04%
- Rebounds: 43.44
Why Bet on Oklahoma City?
The Thunder look like a god bet because they’re playing at home and almost definitely going to be lock-in after dropping two straight including a 121-112 loss to Denver on Tuesday. Paul George scored a team-high 25 points while Russell Westbrook added 22 points and Jerami Grant, 21 points.
“We had some things that we were able to control that we didn’t do a good enough job (of) and that part of it was disappointing because the guys, I thought, battled and worked so hard to get back in the game to give ourselves a chance,” Thunder coach Billy Donovan told reporters. “But those were things that were self-inflicted, so to speak, that we kind of put on ourselves.”
The Thunder are statistically better than Philadelphia at both ends of the floor in averaging 115.9 points per game (3rd) while ranking 14th in points allowed (111.1 ppg).
Team Statistics
Offense:- Average Score For: 115.92
- Field Goals: 46.07%
- Three Points: 35.05%
- Free Throws: 71.83%
- Rebounds: 48.03
- Average Score Against: 111.12
- Field Goals: 45.94%
- Three Points: 35.05%
- Free Throws: 75.66%
- Rebounds: 45.58
76ers vs Thunder NBA Betting Trends
- Philadelphia is 1-4 ATS in the last 5 games
- Philadelphia is 5-2 SU in the last 7 games
- The total went UNDER in 8 of Philadelphia’s last 11 games
- Oklahoma City is 1-4 ATS in the last 5 games
- Oklahoma City is 12-4 SU in the last 16 games
- The total went OVER in 14 of Oklahoma City’s last 21 games
Expert Analysis and Prediction
Oklahoma City might be playing at home and they might be really focused in this contest after suffering two straight losses, but Philadelphia is too talented to lose this contest by the nine points it would take for them to fail to cover the chalk.
The Sixers are 0-4 ATS in the last four meetings against the Thunder and 1-5 ATS in their last six road dates against the Thunder, but Philly has gone 5-1 ATS in their last six Thursday games and I believe they’re going to push Oklahoma City for the outright win.
NBA Betting Pick: Philadelphia +8
