PREMIUM
Stephen Nover's NBA Saturday Spread Crusher
(NBA) Philadelphia vs. Indiana,
Point Spread: 5.50 | -105.00 Indiana (Home)
Result: Win
Point Spread: 5.50 | -105.00 Indiana (Home)
Result: Win
Talent-wise, the 76ers do hold an edge on the Pacers especially with Indiana missing emerging star Domantas Sabonis. He's out due to plantar fasciitis in his left foot.
But there other factors that point to this being a very close game. Each team is 39-26. So it's an important matchup for playoff seeding. A loss wouldn't be devastating for the 76ers, though, because they drew a very easy schedule in this reboot of the season. Philadelphia's next four games following this one are against the Wizards, Magic, Trail Blazers and Suns. None of those teams has a winning record.
The 76ers were practically unbeatable at home. But away from Wells Fargo Center, Philly went just 10-24.
There are many questions for the 76ers such as: Can they be trusted as mid-sized neutral site chalk against a solid playoff team like the Pacers? Is Shake Milton a reliable point guard? Can Ben Simmons make the transition to power forward and be as effective without handling the ball so much? Is Joel Embiid fully healthy after missing the 76ers' last two scrimmages with a strained right calf?
The Pacers have solid depth and Victor Oladipo is expected to play. He was just rounding into his All-Star form when league play was halted.
But there other factors that point to this being a very close game. Each team is 39-26. So it's an important matchup for playoff seeding. A loss wouldn't be devastating for the 76ers, though, because they drew a very easy schedule in this reboot of the season. Philadelphia's next four games following this one are against the Wizards, Magic, Trail Blazers and Suns. None of those teams has a winning record.
The 76ers were practically unbeatable at home. But away from Wells Fargo Center, Philly went just 10-24.
There are many questions for the 76ers such as: Can they be trusted as mid-sized neutral site chalk against a solid playoff team like the Pacers? Is Shake Milton a reliable point guard? Can Ben Simmons make the transition to power forward and be as effective without handling the ball so much? Is Joel Embiid fully healthy after missing the 76ers' last two scrimmages with a strained right calf?
The Pacers have solid depth and Victor Oladipo is expected to play. He was just rounding into his All-Star form when league play was halted.