PREMIUM
Rogers' 10* NBA PLAY OF THE DAY >> ONLY NBA PLAY WEDS!
(NBA) Philadelphia vs. Detroit,
Total: 213.00 | -110.00 Under
Result: Win
Total: 213.00 | -110.00 Under
Result: Win
The set-up: The Philadelphia 76ers lost All-Star center Joel Embiid (22.9 & 11.0) to an orbital fracture suffered in a win over the Knicks on March 28. However, Philly has won and covered its last three without him, extending the NBA's longest active winning streak to 11 games. The 47-30 76ers are 1 1/2 games up on the fifth-place Pacers in the East and also just a half-game back of the third-place Cavs. Phily travels to Detroit to face the Pistons on Wednesday and Detroit's playoff chances are hanging by a thread. Yes, the Pistons have won five in a row and seven of eight to stay alive but at 37-40, Detroit would need to win all of their remaining five games PLUS need either the Heat, Wizards or Bucks to los all SIX of their remaining games to have a chance a winning a tie-breaker.
Philadelphia. The Sixers' 11th straight win came easily, 121-95 at home over the Brooklyn Nets last night. That's despite the team holding power forward Dario Saric (14.9 & 6.9) out due to cellulitis in his right elbow, the result of a cut suffered last week at the New York Knicks. Ersan Ilyasova (9.9 & 6.1 in 18 games with Philly) stepped into the starting lineup against the Nets and responded with 11 points and 13 rebounds, while rookie Ben Simmons (15.8-8.1-8.1 continued his recent tear with 15 points, 12 boards and six assists. Veterans JJ Redick (16.7) and Marco Belinelli (12.6 PPG in 23 with Philly) are playing perhaps their best basketball at the most important time. Redick scored 19 points against the Nets, his fifth straight game with at least that many, and Belinelli added 17 on 7-of-11 shooting, the eighth time in his last nine games that he's shot at least 50 percent from the floor. Rookie Markelle Fultz scored exactly 10 points for the third time in five games since returning from a shoulder injury and saw some time on the floor with Simmons in the third quarter. Fultz has averaged 7.4 & 4.4 APG in about 17 minutes in his five games back.
Detroit: It's almost guaranteed that Detroit's late run will be too little, too late but the Pistons have to be encouraged by the play of Reggie Jackson (14.7 & 5.1 APG) since he returned from a lengthy injury layoff. The 27-year-old PG scored a season-high 29 points at Brooklyn and is averaging 18.8 over his last five games. Anthony Tolliver continues to fill in for the injured Blake Griffin and posted 16.2 points per game average during the same stretch. Isn't it 'rich' that Detroit has won three in a row since Griffin was diagnosed with a bone bruise on his right ankle. The Pistons survived the ejection of All-Star center Andre Drummond (15.0 & 16.0) in a 108-96 win at Brooklyn on Sunday but Drummond managed a double-double (13 & 14) prior to his ejection and he needs one more to reach 60 in that category for the second time in his career.
The pick: Philly is NBA's hottest team but Stan Van Gundy has his team playing well (five straight wins and seven of eight), even minus Blake Griffin these last three. Detroit's a solid 24-14 SU at home but slowing Philly down, would be a stretch. The 76ers have averaged 116.8 PPG during their 11-game winning streak, including 113.7 PPG without Embiid. Make the Over a 10* play.
Philadelphia. The Sixers' 11th straight win came easily, 121-95 at home over the Brooklyn Nets last night. That's despite the team holding power forward Dario Saric (14.9 & 6.9) out due to cellulitis in his right elbow, the result of a cut suffered last week at the New York Knicks. Ersan Ilyasova (9.9 & 6.1 in 18 games with Philly) stepped into the starting lineup against the Nets and responded with 11 points and 13 rebounds, while rookie Ben Simmons (15.8-8.1-8.1 continued his recent tear with 15 points, 12 boards and six assists. Veterans JJ Redick (16.7) and Marco Belinelli (12.6 PPG in 23 with Philly) are playing perhaps their best basketball at the most important time. Redick scored 19 points against the Nets, his fifth straight game with at least that many, and Belinelli added 17 on 7-of-11 shooting, the eighth time in his last nine games that he's shot at least 50 percent from the floor. Rookie Markelle Fultz scored exactly 10 points for the third time in five games since returning from a shoulder injury and saw some time on the floor with Simmons in the third quarter. Fultz has averaged 7.4 & 4.4 APG in about 17 minutes in his five games back.
Detroit: It's almost guaranteed that Detroit's late run will be too little, too late but the Pistons have to be encouraged by the play of Reggie Jackson (14.7 & 5.1 APG) since he returned from a lengthy injury layoff. The 27-year-old PG scored a season-high 29 points at Brooklyn and is averaging 18.8 over his last five games. Anthony Tolliver continues to fill in for the injured Blake Griffin and posted 16.2 points per game average during the same stretch. Isn't it 'rich' that Detroit has won three in a row since Griffin was diagnosed with a bone bruise on his right ankle. The Pistons survived the ejection of All-Star center Andre Drummond (15.0 & 16.0) in a 108-96 win at Brooklyn on Sunday but Drummond managed a double-double (13 & 14) prior to his ejection and he needs one more to reach 60 in that category for the second time in his career.
The pick: Philly is NBA's hottest team but Stan Van Gundy has his team playing well (five straight wins and seven of eight), even minus Blake Griffin these last three. Detroit's a solid 24-14 SU at home but slowing Philly down, would be a stretch. The 76ers have averaged 116.8 PPG during their 11-game winning streak, including 113.7 PPG without Embiid. Make the Over a 10* play.
