Nets vs 76ers Picks and Predictions: Philly Clamps KD-Less Nets

Two of the top teams in the Eastern Conference square off on Wednesday night with the Philadelphia 76ers hosting the Brooklyn Nets.

Both sides could be missing superstars with Kevin Durant still sidelined for the Nets and Joel Embiid listed as questionable for the Sixers. The 76ers have still won five games in a row and oddsmakers expect them to keep rolling with NBA betting odds opening with them as 5-point home faves.

Check out my best Nets vs. 76ers NBA picks and predictions for January 25 below. 

Nets vs 76ers best odds

Nets vs 76ers picks and predictions

The Brooklyn Nets have scored more than 110 points in each of their last three games but those contests came against a shorthanded Suns team along with the Jazz and Warriors who both play at a fast pace and struggle defensively.

Now they head to Wells Fargo to face off against a Philadelphia 76ers team that plays at a slower tempo and is much better defensively. The Sixers have regressed a bit on defense (while getting better on offense) since James Harden returned to the lineup but this is still a team that ranks third in the league in scoring defense (110.2 ppg).

The 76ers also defend very well against opposing point guards allowing a league-low 19.7 ppg on 40.6% shooting to the position. Brooklyn's offense is significantly worse without Durant and has become heavily reliant on Kyrie Irving to carry the scoring load.

If Irving can't fill up the hoop, the Nets won't go Over their team total and even if he has another big game, they'll still have a tough time eclipsing this number.

My best bet: Nets team total Under 110.5 (-110 at FanDuel)

Nets vs 76ers spread analysis

Although the Nets are on the road for the fifth game in a row, they've had two days off since their last tilt and they should feel less tired after a much shorter trip to nearby Philly.

Their previous four contests came within six days and were all against Western Conference foes. They still managed to pull off victories in their last two games on that trip, knocking off the Jazz by 11 points and edging the Warriors 120-116 on Sunday.

Irving carried them to both of those wins by scoring 38 points vs. Golden State and dropping 48 on Utah. They'll need another big performance from him tonight with Durant set to miss his seventh straight game.

The Nets were on fire before Durant was injured on January 8, winning 18 of their previous 20 games and going 11-8-1 ATS over that span. But after their leading scorer hit the IL with a knee injury they went 0-4 SU and ATS in their next four games before upsetting the Jazz last Friday. 

While we know that Durant will be out until next month the status of Embiid is still up in the air which makes handicapping this spread tough. Embiid averages an incredible 33.6 points in just 34.8 minutes per game while also protecting the rim on the other end of the floor. 

The Sixers are coming off a 129-127 win against the surging Kings last Saturday when they were missing both Embiid and Harden. Harden is expected to play today and along with Tyrese Maxey, he gives Philly a pair of guards that average more than 20 ppg.

Philadelphia is also coming back to the East Coast after a lengthy road trip and they were extremely successful going 5-0 SU and 3-2 ATS in five consecutive away games against Western Conference foes.

The Sixers will be thrilled to be back home where they've gone 17-7 SU with an average scoring margin of plus-5.8 ppg this season. Like the Nets, the Sixers have been red-hot over the last month and a half, going 18-4 SU (14-8 ATS) with a net rating of plus-6.7 over their last 22 games.

Nets vs 76ers Over/Under analysis

While the Nets were the worst defensive team in the NBA at the beginning of the season, they've been second in the league in defensive rating (109.9) since Jacque Vaughn took over as head coach on November 1. That emphasis on defense has continued into the New Year with Brooklyn ranking third in the league in scoring defense (109.3 ppg allowed) in January. 

The 76ers haven't been quite as impressive on defense this month but this is still a team that ranks fourth in the league in defensive rating (110.8) this season.

They are coming off a 129-127 shootout win against the Kings but Sacramento is a fast-paced, offensively driven team with poor defense and the Nets are not.

The Nets have understandably regressed on offense without Durant who averages 29.7 ppg on 56/38/93 shooting splits. The 76ers will no doubt also regress on offense if Embiid doesn't suit up.

Nets vs 76ers betting trend to know

The Under is 7-1-1 in Brooklyn's last nine games overall. Find more NBA betting trends for Nets vs. 76ers.

Nets vs 76ers game info

Nets vs 76ers key injuries

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