Nets vs 76ers Picks and Predictions: Nets Worth a Bet in Opener

The first round of the NBA playoffs tips off on Saturday afternoon with the Philadelphia 76ers hosting the Brooklyn Nets.

Anything short of a championship would be a disappointment for the Sixers, who are tied with the Warriors for the fourth-best futures odds. Meanwhile, the Nets have the worst championship odds remaining and are far different than the squad that began the year as a contender.

NBA betting lines opened with Philadelphia as an 8.5-point home favorite with the Over/Under at 214.5. Here are my best free Nets vs. 76ers NBA picks and predictions for Game 1 on April 15.

Nets vs 76ers best odds

Nets vs 76ers picks and predictions

Since trading away Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving at the deadline, Brooklyn's offensive efficiency has dipped. However, Mikal Bridges (26.1 points per game with his new team) has picked up the scoring slack while Cam Johnson (16.6 ppg) and Spencer Dinwiddie (16.5 ppg, 9.1 assists per game) are contributing as well. They should be able to get some buckets against a Philly squad that might be a bit overrated on defense. 

The 76ers allowed the third-fewest points per game (110.9) in the league. However, that number is due to the slow pace they play at and their stronger defensive play earlier in the season, when James Harden was sidelined by an injury.  

They are much better offensively with Harden, but they take a big step back on defense. Since the start of the new year, the Sixers are a modest 18th in the league in defensive rating giving up 115.4 points per 100 possessions.

On the other end of the floor, the Sixers have one of the most efficient offenses in the NBA thanks in large part to the league's leading scorer, Joel Embiid. It's next to impossible to stop Embiid, but the Nets have an excellent defensive center in Nic Claxton, who can at least slow him down. They also have plenty of long and athletic wing defenders that can match up with Philly and keep this game within the 8.5-point spread.

Keep in mind that the Nets are 12-3 ATS this season when installed as an underdog of five or more points while Philly is 7-13 ATS as a favorite between 5 to 10 points. 

My best bet: Nets +8.5 (-110 at PointsBet)

Nets vs 76ers spread analysis

The 76ers finished with the third-best record in the Eastern Conference at 58-24 with a net rating of +4.4. That's especially impressive when you consider that they had both Embiid and Harden on the floor in just 51 contests. 

Embiid led the league with 33.1 points in just 34.6 minutes per game, while Harden added 21.0 ppg and a league-high 10.7 apg. Tyrese Maxey also averaged more than 20 ppg while Tobias Harris chipped in with 14.7 ppg. 

One of Philadelphia's biggest deficiencies had been their bench, but their reserves did play better towards the end of the season. It's also worth reminding that in the playoffs, rotations are shortened and all four of the previously mentioned players logged more than 38 mpg in the postseason last year. 

Since the trade deadline, the Nets have gone 12-15 with a net rating of minus-1.5. It hasn't been easy without Durant and Irving to carry the offense, but they've remained competitive. They continued to compete hard on the defensive end of the floor, have plenty of depth, and are embracing more of a team-oriented game plan.

These teams also faced off in the regular season finale and while Philly won by 29 points there isn't much to take away from that contest since both sides rested their starters. A better example would be their previous showdown on February 11, when Brooklyn's new-look lineup lost 101-98 at home against a Sixers squad at full strength.

Nets vs 76ers Over/Under analysis

The 76ers are better on offense than defense, especially the more that Harden, Harris, and Maxey stay on the floor. However, their slower pace has led to lower-scoring contests. 

Since the trade deadline, the Sixers are dead-last in the NBA in pace while the Nets rank 24th. Teams tend to tighten up on defense and slow down the tempo in the post-season so we could see a lower-scoring contest between these teams.

Keep in mind that during that previously mentioned meeting in February, they combined for just 199 points on 41.9% shooting.

That said, points have been harder to come by for the Nets over the last few months. They're 25th in the league in scoring (111.2 ppg) and dead-last in field goal percentage (45.2%) since saying goodbye to Durant and Irving. 

Nets vs 76ers betting trend to know

The Nets are 14-3 ATS in their last 17 road games against a team with a home winning percentage above .600. Find more NBA betting trends for Nets vs. 76ers.

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