The Wizards made the 76ers work for their Game 1 victory but they will be back on Wednesday night in Philadelphia to try to even the series. Let’s analyze this Game 2 showdown and keep cashing our NBA picks!
Washington Wizards vs. Philadelphia 76ers
Wednesday, May 26, 2021 – 7:00 PM EDT at Wells Fargo Center
The Wizards held the 76ers in check during the first half of Game 1, entering the second half with a one-point lead. But the third quarter was where the 76ers took control and emerged with a 125-118 victory. Philadelphia’s Tobias Harris led all scorers with 37 points while Washington’s Bradley Beal bucketed 33 in defeat.
The Wizards shot 55.7 percent compared to Philly’s 49.5 percent but their 16 turnovers, to only 11 for the Sixers, didn’t help their cause. And while Joel Embiid is the straw that stirs the drink and Ben Simmons has lived up to his lofty billing as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 draft, Tobias Harris is the man in the shadows who many believe should be front and center with Embiid and Simmons.
“We all know he should’ve been [an all-star],” Simmons said. “He’s so talented and gifted and he continues to get better and better. Especially [Sunday when] you see him early on dominate, you just want to keep giving him the ball because he’s feeling it.”
“He did what he’s been doing — carrying the weight,” wing Danny Green said. “He kept us afloat when Jo was on the bench. He knew he had to be extra aggressive for us.”
Wanna Make a Bet?
Let’s face it, the only reason the Wizards stayed with the Sixers through the first half is that Embiid got in foul trouble and the Sixers could not hit a shot beyond the arc to save their lives. Yet, their big men ruled in the paint as the Wizards three-guard lineup had trouble disrupting Philly’s inside game.
The NBA odds in this game show the 76ers as a solid eight-point favorite across the board and even though these are the early lines from the best online sportsbooks, I can’t envision this moving much more than half a point either way.
Washington barely covered the number in the last game as an 8-point road dog and it seems to me that the public at large will be considering the 76ers as their go-to in Game 2 because they are a home favorite. What more does Joe Q. Public need, other than a bet on the over to serve as the cherry on top?
However, I think the Wizards are capable of hanging and banging with the Sixers. For all the love Tobias Harris got after his stellar Game 1 performance, he’s not an Embiid nor a Simmons and I suspect Washington will strategize to prevent Harris from being the impact player that he was on Sunday.
Bettors have lost quite a bit of money backing the Sixers against the boys from DC in the recent past. Consider that over the last five meetings between these clubs, Philadelphia has won every single one of them, but is only 1-4 ATS over those five contests.
Want more? Check out these betting trends
- Wizards are 7-0-1 ATS in their last 8 games following a straight-up loss.
- Wizards are 6-0 ATS in their last 6 games as an underdog.
- Wizards are 6-0 ATS in their last 6 games as a road underdog.
- Wizards are 6-0 ATS in their last 6 Wednesday games.
- Wizards are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games playing on two day’s rest.
- 76ers are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games playing on two day’s rest.
- 76ers are 2-10-1 ATS in their last 13 when their opponent scores 100 points or more in their previous game.
These games are usually hotly contested and I don’t see that ending anytime soon so make sure to grab the points with the Wizards and by Thursday morning you’ll be glad you did!
NBA pick: Wizards +8 (-110) at BookMaker
