The Philadelphia 76ers returns home from a highly successful trip to Texas, and they’ll play host to an Atlanta Hawks team that seems to get worse as the season goes on. Two teams seem to have switched positions in the Eastern Conference ranking, so the Sixers are now expected to win this game.
Hawks at 76ers
Spread: Philadelphia -8.5 (-110) at BetDSI Sportsbook
Total: o/u 210 points (-110)
Can’t see an end to the 6-game losing streak for Atlanta
We knew that they’re going to be bad after losing Millsap, Howard and important backups, but the losing has become a standard too soon for these Hawks. If you had watched a single quarter of their season so far, you must have realized that the coaches and the players are using live games as practices, directing (each) others to a spot or telling them what they should do, in a way it shouldn’t be happening at the professional level.
Their most recent demise came at hand of the Milwaukee Bucks, who came to the Philips Arena and won 117-106. As in practically all the previous defeats, the Hawks played well enough not to be blown away, but not to challenge and win the game. They can’t sustain the level for 48 minutes, playing to highs and lows several times during a game. Against Milwaukee, it was the first quarter that doomed them. They entered the game unlike a team who want to put an end to a losing streak, falling behind by double digits early, and haven’t made a push to erase it until it was too late. It was the usual scoresheet for the Hawks. Schroder led the team in points with 21 and successfully dished the ball 8 times. Prince follows with 17 points, but he wasted too many possessions on low percentage plays, needing 20 attempts to score this many. Rookie backup big Collins had the best game of his young career with 14 points, 7 rebounds and a block. The Hawks actually did enough on the offensive side, as they usually do. They shot 47 percent from the field and connected on 45 percent of their outside tries. These numbers tell you enough about their matador defense. The Bucks used their long wings to repeatedly get to the paint, and the Hawks never made a concerted effort to run home in transition, and it led to 54 percent shooting of the Bucks, including 50 percent from the three-point territory.
The Hawks have played without starting power forward Ersan Ilyasova, subbing him with Mike Muscala, who had played fairly well on the offensive end. Trees can guard more people on the other side, but he is not one to be blamed for the defensive demise. The Hawks somehow don’t have a strong inside presence, nor a backup point, and their wings best trumps are that they are athletic.
Place: Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Date/Time: Wednesday, November 1st, 2017. 7:00 PM ET
TV Coverage: NBCSP, Fox Sports Southeast
The Sixers thrive with a big lineup, win at Houston
The Philadelphia 76ers enter the month of November with their heads high, after winning both of their away games during the short trip to Texas. If not for the Gordon’s buzzer in Philly, they would ride a four-game win streak. While the progress is evident, some luck played a role in the two wins. After completing, but struggling to win, the Sixers had to change their lineup as J.J. Redick came down with an injury. As they are short on outside shooters, they decided to reinstate Dario Saric to the starting lineup, and go very big. Saric was terrible coming in from the bench, so it smelled trouble, but instead, the Sixers suddenly couldn’t do wrong.
They’ve topped 110 points in both wins, first in Dallas, when they shot close to 50 percent and had hit 16-of-35 triples. On Monday, in Houston, the Sixers defeated the Rockets 115-107, matching their season high in points and shooting 55 percent and 10-of-24 from the field. Seven different players scored in double digits, led by surefire rookie of the year Ben Simmons and his 24 points (10-of-15 FGs), 9 assists and 7 rebounds. Embiid also played a good, efficient 25 minutes, posting a line of 22 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 assists. The Rockets repeated went under all screens, saving energy for the offense, and the young Sixers made them pay. The decision making still has room for improvement, as the ball handlers tend to be sloppy with the passing. It’s mostly due to lack of experience and playing time, as they don’t seem to fully understand the importance of passing the ball from correct angles.
It’s unclear if the Sixers would play Atlanta with the same unit, as there are no news if Redick is expected to miss yet another game to heal. When he’ll be ready to return, the Sixers have a tough decision to make. Not only Saric played better with the starters, but the bench unit played much better without him. Fultz remains out.
Atlanta Hawks at Philadelphia 76ers Game Trends & Prediction
The Atlanta Hawks have not covered in the last game as a 5.5 point underdog, so this brings their ATS record to a disappointing 2-4-1. Over in this game stopped a string of five games without one. They are now 2-4-1 against the over/under as well.
The 76ers nice outing stretches to the first game. They are 5-2 against the spread and 5-1 when Embiid dresses. This is only the third game they play at home, so they yet have to establish some home court stronghold. They’ve lost both times in Philly, but covered in one of those defeats. Efficient scoring lead to two overs on their games, so the Sixers are now 4-3 against the total points line.
Admi-Rank: The Hawks are ranked as the second-worst team in the NBA at this point, and are games away from crushing inside completely. The losing streak are more difficult to stop the more they drag on. The Sixers are trending in a different direction, and have not been ranked this high in the last 4 seasons. It’s now up to them to prove if they can stay there.
Don’t get too high on these 76ers. Just a few days ago, they were looking much like Atlanta. A team that can compete, but when it comes to taking the game away, they would get blocked. They are obviously much more talented team than the Hawks, as they play and gain experience, they’ll learn how to win. It’s a start, and now it’s up to them to warrant the status of a favorite.
The books believe they should be as high as 8.5-point of a favorite, and it’s hard to argue with that. In fact, I’m taking them with 9 points to win this game if Redick plays, so it’s pretty much a deadlock with the value. My bet for this game is on the total points, where the 210 line gives room to play the over side. If anything, the Hawks can score most of the nights, and are looking to push the ball at any game. With my numbers showing a fair line of 215, it’s an offer I cannot resist.
My Pick: (no wager on the spread)
Total: Over 210 points (-110)
