Wizards vs 76ers NBA Handicapping
The Washington Wizards started the season with a nice, tidy 12-game losing streak, basically taking the helium out of any balloon that might have been filled when the team won its final six games in 2011/12.
Washington Wizards (11-32) at Philadelphia 76ers (18-26)
Wednesday, Jan. 30
Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia
7 p.m. EST
Spread – 76ers -3.5 at JustBet
O/U – 190.5
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To prove that the dirty dozen were no fluke, the Wiz tacked on two more losing streaks – one of eight games and another five defeats in a row – as they coped with life without injured franchise point guard John Wall.
But Wall is now back from that nasty injured left knee, the team is actually playing decent (7-4 over the last 11 games) and for the first time in a long time there is optimism at the Verizon Center in downtown Washington D.C.
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Credit the Wizards and coach Randy Wittman for not throwing in the towel after that debilitating 5-28 start. Washington won’t make the playoffs, but recent victories over the Bulls, Nuggets and Thunder attest that the Wizards are not going through the motions.
It’s impossible to underestimate what having the ball in Wall’s hands on almost every possession has made to the Wizards offense.
Wall has tremendous speed, because of the injury his legs are in opening-day mode while the rest of the league is fighting winter fatigue, and Washington is starting to light up the scoreboard as everyone else on the court gets more and more uncontested shots.
With Derrick Rose still out and Rajon Rondo down for the season, is it even a stretch to consider Wall – viewed as a shoot-first underachiever in his first two seasons after being the overall No. 1 pick in 2010 – the best point guard in the Eastern Conference? [ad-6571516]
Wall and the Wizards go up against the 76ers tonight, and while Washington never had much luck wining in Philadelphia, the Sixers are in recovery mode after a taxing (San Antonio, Milwaukee, New York and Memphis) 1-3 stretch.
Philly is hoping that a 6-game home stand that starts tonight will get it back in the playoff hunt.
Philly might be a different team after the All-Star break if Andrew Bynum finally makes it onto the court, but for now the Sixers are treading water and have their hands full trying to sneak into the playoffs for the second straight season.
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Looks like the oddsmakers have caught up with the Wizards. Starting with a Jan. 7 game against Oklahoma City and ending on Jan. 26 against Chicago, the Wizards were able to cover the spread 10 straight times.
That came to an end Monday when the Wizards had to lay a fat 7 at home against Sacramento (and won by as deuce).
Look for a play on the over.
Wall is only getting better, and Philly games have been going over even with O/U totals since in the mid-190s.
