The Sacramento Kings conclude a four-game East Coast road trip on Friday night with a very tough second of a back-to-back as they look to complete an unlikely season sweep of the Philadelphia 76ers. However, Philly is a solid favorite on the NBA betting lines at MyBookie Sportsbook.
Kings vs 76ers NBA Odds & Expert Pick for Friday Night
- When: Friday, 7 PM ET
- Where: Wells Fargo Center
- TV: NBA TV
- Live Stream: NBA League Pass
- NBA Odds: Philadelphia 76ers -9 (Total 233)
Season Series
Kings lead 1-0 and have taken the best three in the series. On Feb. 2, the Kings upset the Sixers 115-108. Sacramento was down 103-101 with 3:14 remaining before closing the game out on a 14-5 run. Kings guard Buddy Hield totaled a game-high 34 points as he went 12-for-21 from the floor and 7-of-13 from three-point distance. Kings guard De’Aaron Fox added 19 points and eight assists while center Willie Cauley-Stein chipped in 19 points and nine boards. 76ers center Joel Embiid recorded 29 points and 17 rebounds while guard-forward Ben Simmons posted 22 points, eight rebounds, and four assists.A win Friday would mark just the fifth time in franchise history where the Kings beat Philadelphia in four straight games.
Why Bet on Sacramento?
The Kings are in the second of a back-to-back after likely losing in Boston on Thursday. Sacramento has the longest playoff drought in the NBA, not making it since 2005-06, and that’s going to continue. This has been a successful season overall as the team is much improved.
As of Thursday, the Kings are 10-0 this season when giving up 100 points or fewer to their opponents and are only one of five teams this season to be undefeated when holding their opponent to fewer than 100 points (Los Angeles Lakers, Oklahoma City Thunder, Philadelphia 76ers, Washington Wizards). Sacramento is also 16-6 this season when their opponents shoot below the .300 percent threshold from beyond the arc.
There’s a chance the Kings could get back good-looking rookie Marvin Bagley III back for this one – maybe even Thursday night (unlikely). Bagley III had 13 double-doubles this year, fourth-most of any rookie. Bagley III has the most double-doubles by a Kings rookie since DeMarcus Cousins tallied 26 double-doubles as a rookie during the 2010-11 season.
Kings guard Buddy Hield is one of the most improved players in the NBA, especially from beyond the arc as he is fourth in the NBA in three-point percentage at .432 percent. Hield had been shooting above .440 percent from the three-point line since Jan. 5 and could become just the second player in NBA history to shoot better than .440 percent from three-point distance while averaging 7.0 or more attempts per game from beyond the arc. Warriors guard Stephen Curry is the only player to do so. Fellow Kings guard De’Aaron Fox is one of three players in the NBA averaging 17.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 7.0 assists and 1.65 steals per game this season.
Team Stats
Offense- Total Score: 113.75
- Field Goal Percentage: 46.28
- Three-Point Percentage: 37.38
- Free Throw Percentage: 71.99
- Total Rebounds: 45.40
Defense
- Total Score: 114.99
- Field Goal Percentage: 46.18
- Three-Point Percentage: 34.29
- Free Throw Percentage: 76.75
- Total Rebounds: 48.69
Why Bet on Philadelphia?
The Sixers have followed a two-game slide with back-to-back wins. It was rather ugly Tuesday, 106-99 over Cleveland. The lousy Cavs took a 97-96 lead with under 3 minutes, but Mike Scott responded with a 3-pointer to put the 76ers back ahead. And after Ben Simmons made a free throw and Jordan Clarkson a layup for Cleveland, Joel Embiid followed his own miss with a thunderous dunk to give the Sixers a 102-99 lead with under a minute left.
Simmons was terrific with 26 points, 10 rebounds, eight assists and one steal in 38 minutes. He finished 10-of-16 from the field and 6-of-8 from the line. Joel Embiid added 17 points, 19 rebounds, five assists, one steal, four blocks, and one triple, as he and Simmons became the first teammates with at least 40 double-doubles in a single season since Charles Barkley and Mike Gminski in 1988-89. Boban Marjanovic (knee) returned to action on Tuesday with 11 points, five rebounds, two assists and one block in 14 minutes. He had missed the past six games.
Jimmy Butler was given Tuesday off. James Ennis scored 12 points in a fill-in start, hitting 6-of-7 shots. He grabbed seven rebounds with two assists in 22 minutes but also had four fouls. Butler hasn’t been playing well of late. Over the past 15 games, Butler has connected on just four of his 23 attempts from beyond the arc. Butler’s never been a high-volume 3-point shooter, but he’s also never shot fewer than two treys per game over a month-long span in his previous four seasons.
Friday could be the Philly debut of 2018 first-round pick Zhaire Smith. He was recalled from the Delaware Blue Coats before Tuesday’s game but did not play. The former Texas Tech star fractured his foot in August.
Team Stats
Offense- Total Score: 114.76
- Field Goal Percentage: 47.12
- Three-Point Percentage: 35.78
- Free Throw Percentage: 77.46
- Total Rebounds: 47.38
Defense
- Total Score: 111.50
- Field Goal Percentage: 45.26
- Three-Point Percentage: 34.00
- Free Throw Percentage: 77.15
- Total Rebounds: 43.35
Kings vs 76ers NBA Betting Trends
- Underdog is 11-1 ATS in the last 12 meetings
- Under is 4-0 in 76ers last 4 home games
- Sacramento is 5-2 ATS in its last 7 games on the road
- Sacramento is 4-13 SU in its last 17 games on the road
- The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Sacramento’s last 5 games on the road
- Philadelphia is 16-5 ATS in its last 21 games when playing Sacramento
- Philadelphia is 13-6 SU in its last 19 games at home
- The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Philadelphia’s last 7 games at home
Expert Final Score Prediction for Kings vs 76ers
Sacramento Kings 112 – Philadelphia 76ers 119
