Nets vs. 76ers Odds, Preview, Prediction: Over or Under 229 Points?
Nets vs. 76ers Odds
| Nets Odds | +3 |
| 76ers Odds | -3 |
| Over/Under | 229 |
| Date | Friday, Oct. 22 |
| Time | 10:00 p.m. ET |
| TV | TNT |
On Friday evening, the Brooklyn Nets and the Philadelphia 76ers will battle at the Wells Fargo Center. Brooklyn was run off the floor in their season opener against the defending champion Milwaukee Bucks. Philadelphia easily handled the hapless New Orleans Pelicans to start the new campaign on a high note. The Nets will be without Kyrie Irving for the foreseeable future, which changes the dynamic for an otherwise championship caliber roster. Oddsmakers are still anticipating that the Nets will secure a road victory in this one, pricing Brooklyn as three-point road favorites on the spread.
Let’s take a closer look at NBA betting tips for this matchup and see where bettors can find value at sportsbooks for this late game in Philadelphia.
Brooklyn Nets -3
On opening night, Brooklyn suffered a 23-point defeat to the same team that knocked them out of last year’s postseason. In Irving’s absence, Kevin Durant and James Harden are tasked with being the primary playmakers on a roster devoid of other players capable of creating their own shots. Though Patty Mills, Joe Harris, Blake Griffin, and others are quality talents, none of those names can create offense for themselves. After being an offensive juggernaut during the 2020-2021 campaign, Brooklyn is likely to take a step backward on this end of the floor this winter—at least until they can add a third playmaker to the active roster.
The Nets were a poor defensive team last season, ranking 22nd in defensive efficiency. On most nights, this group was content to try to outscore their opponent—not a terrible strategy with the vast array of offensive weapons on this roster. Yet, entering the new campaign without Irving means that this group is both weaker offensively and similarly weak defensively. Brooklyn could benefit from the likely absence of Ben Simmons in this contest, but do not expect Durant and Harden to suddenly turn this unit into a defensive fortress. The Nets should improve upon allowing 227 points on opening night, but they are still vulnerable on this end of the floor tonight.
Philadelphia 76ers +3
Ben Simmons has single handedly eroded the public trust in a very talented basketball team. On Wednesday, the 76ers were only single possession favorites against arguably the worst roster in the NBA. Defeating the Pelicans by 20 points has done little to earn back respect in the market as Philadelphia opens as home underdogs in this contest. Though the 76ers are not a better team without Simmons in the lineup, they are certainly capable of holding their own on both ends of the floor.
Tobias Harris and Joel Embiid both averaged better than 19 points per game last season with player efficiency ratings above 20. In their season opener, Philadelphia also had significant contributions from Furkan Korkmaz and Tyrese Maxey, who each totaled 20 or more points in the winning effort. The pace of play for the 76ers slows down tremendously without Simmons on the floor, but that might only be a benefit against a Brooklyn team that struggles to defend in the half court.
Philadelphia was one of the most dominant defensive teams in the NBA last season inside of 19 feet. Against a Nets offense that shot only 20-for-52 inside the arc on opening night, the 76ers could be particularly well-suited to slow them down. The Nets lack of playmaking means that they are going to be overly reliant on dunks and three-pointers to score efficiently this season. If the Nets struggle even somewhat shooting from the perimeter in this contest, Philadelphia could flirt with holding Brooklyn to under 100 points in this one.
Nets vs. 76ers Pick
Last season, the 76ers were middle of the pack in pace of play. In their season opener, without Simmons in the lineup, Philadelphia showed a willingness to slow the game down even more and currently ranks 23rd in pace on the young season. Brooklyn also played at a relatively slow pace in their first game of the season, without Irving. Lacking athletic guards to push the ball up and down the floor, both of these teams seem content to slow the game down and play in the half court. Expect a relatively low-scoring affair tonight at the Wells Fargo Center. Take the under.
PICK: Under 229 (-110)
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