Philadelphia 76ers vs Brooklyn Nets Predictions, Odds & Picks

• The Sixers are coming off of an all-out offensive thrashing of a win where they scored 141!
• The Brooklyn Nets hope to jump above .500 with a win over the Philadelphia 76ers.
• Over 200 regular-season games, the Sixers lead the Nets 116-84.

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76ers vs Nets Predictions and Picks

The Sixers are on an absolute tear. They have a fantastic all-around team that sports one of the league’s most talented defensive units. On the other side, the Nets have failed to find the consistency they’ve desired over their first eight games.

Picks:

Philadelphia 76ers to Win (-129)

Over 225.5 (-112)

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How to Watch 76ers vs Nets

Head-to-Head: 76ers vs Nets

Can Philly Contain Brooklyn’s Scoring Potential?

There is no secret as to where the Brooklyn Nets will be looking for their offense. For the Sixers, it’ll be on them to try and stop the Nets’ star scoring pair of Durant and Irving.

The Sixers have the best defense in the NBA, with a defensive rating of 99.8 while allowing just 101.7 points per game. Valuable wing defenders Ben Simmons and Matisse Thybulle will see their fair share of time guarding Durant and Irving, with hopes of containing them.

The Nets are seventh in both field-goal percentage and three-point percentage. The Sixers are holding their opponents to a league-best 41.5% from the field. This match will be decided by who can impose their gameplan on the other best.

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The Nets Will Continue to Experiment

Of Brooklyn Nets players that have seen an average of at least 15 minutes of play per game, all have played in six of their first eight games – save for Spencer Dinwiddie who was injured in their third match. Despite that continuity, the Nets haven’t found their rhythm and sit at .500 after the opening stretch of the season.

While Brooklyn has been strong without Durant and Irving on the court together, it is the supporting cast that has struggled as a whole. Contributing to their struggles is the reserve-led group turning over the ball at an alarming rate, adding to their 16.1 turnovers per game.

Head coach Steve Nash said that he’d continue to experiment with his lineups, especially with secondary playmaker Spencer Dinwiddie out for the foreseeable future. Against the top-ranked defence in the league, Brooklyn won’t be given room for error.

Sixers Key Player: (G) Danny Green

? DANNY GREEN BEATS THE BUZZER ? pic.twitter.com/SeYE9ZAOzP

— NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) January 5, 2021

The Philadelphia 76ers know what they’re going to get out of Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid. But shooting guard Danny Green is a difference-maker, especially in a matchup against capable scoring wings.

Green has regressed since his 2019 Championship winning season, now averaging just 6.9 points on 30.3% shooting from the field.

It’s all or nothing with Green. If he’s not hitting from range, his defence is barely enough to keep him on the court. But when he’s in rhythm and making his shots, Green is a three-and-D threat that could spell significant trouble for the Nets.

Nets Key Player: (G-F) Caris LeVert

? Don’t show em everything @CarisLeVert pic.twitter.com/zhLesPEGB7

— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) January 6, 2021

The Brooklyn Nets guard received a larger role due to unfortunate circumstances when Spencer Dinwiddie went down with an injury. In his stead, LeVert has taken on playmaking duties for the second unit with mixed results.

LeVert’s points are down with fewer minutes, but he is averaging a career-high in assists at 5.5 per game.

Unfortunately for LeVert and the Nets, he’s shooting a dismal 39.2% from the field on 15 field-goal attempts per game. LeVert’s lack of efficiency is hurting his squad, despite his scoring totals. If he can improve his conversion rate, head coach Steve Nash may be able to stop his search for a second unit leader.