Streaking Pacers Host Up and Down Sixers
The Philadelphia 76ers (3-5 SU, 3-5 ATS, 2-6 O/U) snapped a three-game losing streak in their last outing for BetUS NBA betting buffs! The Indiana Pacers (4-3 SU, 5-2 ATS, 4-3 O/U) have done even better, winning three straight games in the BetUS Sportsbook!
Both teams will look to stay in the win column tonight when they square off at Conseco Fieldhouse.
The Sixers have struggled to find their identity in the early going despite acquiring perennial all-star power forward Elton Brand but picked up a big win by beating the Toronto Raptors 106-96 on Wednesday to cover the spread as 5.5-point road underdogs.
Brand and last season’s team scoring leader, athletic shooting guard Andre Iguoadala, both got untracked after playing mostly inconsistent basketball since the beginning of the regular season.
Brand scored 25 points on 12-for-21 shooting from the field while Iguoadala added 18 points on 5-for-13 shooting as Philadelphia shot 53.8 percent as a team.
“Just for team morale and team psyche, it’s a big win for us,” Brand said.
“We haven’t really been having fun,” said Iguodala who also dished out 10 assists and grabbed nine rebounds. “We’ve just been thinking ‘How can we play with each other, how can we win? How can we not make mistakes?’ That’s when you make mistakes, when you start thinking a little bit too much. Tonight we were a little bit more free, we were shooting the ball with more confidence.”
Philadelphia will take on a Pacers team that is thriving at the moment and is coming off a convincing 98-87 win over the rebuilding new Jersey Nets on Wednesday.
New starting point guard T.J. Ford, acquired in the trade that sent former all-star, Jermaine O’Neal to the Toronto raptors, has led the way for the Pacers, averaging 18.3 points, 8.0 rebounds and 9.3 assists.
“He has shown what we have been missing the last couple of years,” forward Jeff Foster said. “He gets in the lane and causes havoc for other teams and he’s guarding guys really well, too, slowing down their offense and giving them less time for shots. He has been huge for us.”
The Pacers won Wednesday despite playing without injured starters Danny Granger (quadriceps), Troy Murphy (flu) and Mike Dunleavy (knee), the club’s top three scorers last season.
Foster and forward, Marquis Daniels each added 16 points while two other players also reached double figures in scoring.
The Pacers hope to have Granger and Murphy back for tonight’s matchup.
Here is a look at the key trends for each team, followed by my in-depth analysis and NBA Free Picks.
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Philadelphia’s last 9 games
The total has gone UNDER in 10 of Philadelphia’s last 14 games when playing on the road against Indiana
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Philadelphia’s last 9 games when playing Indiana
Philadelphia is 3-8 SU in its last 11 games
Indiana is 13-3 SU in its last 16 games at home
Indiana is 7-2 ATS in its last 9 games when playing Philadelphia
Indiana is 7-2 SU in its last 9 games when playing Philadelphia
Indiana is 6-2 ATS in its last 8 games
NBA Odds
Philadelphia 76ers +1 -110
Indiana Pacers -1 -110
Over 198½ -110
Under 198½ -110
Analysis: I thin k the Pacers will be up to the challenge the Sixers bring tonight with Danny Granger and Troy Murphy coming back to the team following brief injuries. However, the best play may be to take the Over as I think Philly will score their share of points, even in defeat.
