NBA Picks: Wizards vs. 76ers Game 2

by | Last updated May 26, 2021 | nba

Joel Embiid 76ers

Washington Wizards (34-38 SU, 41-30 ATS) vs. Philadelphia 76ers (49-23 SU, 38-31 ATS), 5/26/21

When: 7 pm ET Wednesday, May 26

Where: Wells Fargo Center

TV: NBA TV

Point spread: Wash +8/Phil -8 (MyBookie – Deposit $100, get $100 FREE when you use promo code PREDICT100)

Total: 230.5

After taking Game 1 of this best-of-seven Eastern Conference playoff series, in somewhat underwhelming fashion, the top-seeded 76ers look to go up 2-0 on the Wizards Wednesday night in Philly. The Sixers never led Game 1 by more than 11 points and came up a bucket short of covering the spread. Philadelphia is favored by the exact same number for this game. Here’s our homework on this contest, with our free NBA playoff pick, for what it’s worth.

Wizards-76ers NBA Betting Odds

NBA playoffs betting odds opened Philadelphia as an eight-point favorite for this Game 2, with an over/under of 230.5. Both those figures were holding steady in the early betting action.

Any bettors out there thinking Washington might pull an outright upset here could get a price of +313 at Pinnacle Sportsbook.

Wizards-76ers NBA Betting Preview

Top-seeded Philadelphia won the opener of this series last Sunday 125-118. The Sixers, as eight-point favorites, actually trailed the Wizards 28-27 after one quarter and 62-61 at the half. But Philly then slowly took control, building an 11-point lead early in the fourth quarter, then hung on from there for the victory.

However, the Sixers came up one free throw short of pushing that eight-point spread.

Philadelphia shot a shade under 50 percent from the field in Game 1 but allowed Washington to shoot 56 percent. But the Sixers also won the turnover battle 16-11 and shot 18 more free-throws, resulting in a +11 points differential.

Also, Game 1 played over its total of 228 relatively easily, with both teams shooting well.

Philadelphia finished 15 games ahead of Washington in the regular-season standings, 49-23 to 34-38. The Sixers also swept the season series from the Wizards, winning the three games by an average score of 127-115, going 2-1 ATS in the process.

Just as in Game 1 of this series, both teams shot the ball very well during their three meetings this season. Philadelphia shot 52 percent from the floor, Washington 50 percent. But the Sixers won the battle on the boards and held a short edge in the turnover battle.

Wizards only sat at 17-32 not too long ago, then played 17-6 down the stretch just to make the playoff “play-in.” The Wizards then lost to Boston but pounded Indiana to become the No. 8 seed in the East.

According to ESPN.com, the Sixers played 27-5 this season with Ben Simmons, Seth Curry, Danny Green, Tobias Harris (who threw in 37 points Sunday night), and Joel Embiid as the starting lineup. But Curry suffered a hand injury Monday night and is listed as questionable for this game.

NBA Betting Trends

  • The Wizards played 15-21 SU but 22-13 ATS on the road this season.
  • The Sixers played 29-7 SU, 22-13 ATS at home this season.
  • The Wizards played 13-24 SU but 23-14 ATS against teams that made these playoffs this season.
  • The Sixers played 21-16 SU, 16-19 ATS vs. teams that made the playoffs this season.
  • The Wizards played 16-6 ATS this season as a dog of between 5-10 points.
  • The Sixers played 17-13 ATS this season when favored by between 5-10 points.

Totals Report

Totals split 36-36 in Wizards games this season, even though they averaged 235 total points, the highest in the League.
Unders played 38-34 in Sixers games this season, which averaged 222 total points.
Totals are split 2-2 in Wizards-Sixers games this season, which are averaging 242 total points.

Free NBA Playoffs Pick

Most signs point toward Philadelphia here, but the Great Equalizer makes things very interesting. Philly is the better team, really good with that starting 5, and will probably win this game outright. But Washington played well down the stretch of this season and seems to shoot the ball very well against this Sixers outfit. If they can just keep Philadelphia off the free-throw line, Washington should keep this one close. We like the Wizards and the points here. Note: Many basketball bettors are finding the NBA tough to beat via pre-game point spread bets. If you’re struggling with this, a great option is to watch a bit of the game and THEN dropping a bet, based on the play you’ve witnessed. The absolute BEST live wagering platform on the web can be found at Bovada Sportsbook. There really isn’t anything comparable!

NBA Basketball Picks