The Philadelphia 76ers got a scare in their series opener against the Washington Wizards and D.C. basketball bettors enjoyed yet another NBA betting win, with the Wizards improving to 20-6-1 ATS in their last 27 games since April 5.
The Game 2 spread for this Eastern quarterfinal mirrors the Game 1 line, with Philadelphia giving eight points at home after a 125-118 victory Sunday. The Sixers were far from perfect early on, but their depth was the key to avoiding an upset and is the reason they’re big faves for Game 2.
Dive into our free NBA picks and predictions for Wizards vs. 76ers on May 26.
Wizards vs 76ers game info
• Location: Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA
• Date: Wednesday, May 26, 2021
• Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
• TV: NBA TV
Wizards vs 76ers odds
Odds via the Covers Line, an average comprised of odds from multiple sportsbooks.
Compare NBA odds before betting to ensure you get the best number.
NBA Sharp Money and Line Movement Report
By Patrick EversonPhiladelphia opened -8 and has climbed to -8.5 at some books. However, despite that movement, FanDuel sportsbooks are reporting the bulk of bets (60%) and ATS handle (60%) riding on the underdog Wizards in Game 2. The total opened opened 230.5 and has slimmed to 228.5. Again, this is reverse line movement going against the reported percentages, with 62 percent of bets on the Over and 66 percent of money siding with a high-scoring finish.
Check out the full line movement for this gameWizards vs 76ers series odds
Wizards: +800
76ers: -1,800
Wizards vs 76ers betting preview
Injuries
Wizards: Deni Avdija F (Out), Thomas Bryant C (Out).
76ers: None.
Find our latest NBA injury reports.
Betting trend to know
The 76ers are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 games as favorites. Find more NBA betting trends for Wizards vs. 76ers.
Against the spread (ATS) pick
Philadelphia had a terrible start to Game 1, with star center Joel Embiid getting into early foul trouble and the team firing 1 for 8 from beyond the arc in the first quarter. Tobias Harris kept the 76ers’ heads above water in the opening half and things returned to normal in the final 24 minutes, with Philly just coming up short of the 8-point spread.
When Embiid was on the floor, playing less than 11 minutes in the first half, he was pretty much unstoppable. The 7-footer cut through the Washington double team like warm butter, scoring 21 points on 6-of-10 shooting while knocking down 9 of 10 from the foul line in the second half. He finished with 30 points for the game.
The Wizards will switch up their strategy for Embiid but without a solid matchup option (Alex Len and Robin Lopez combined for seven fouls), Philadelphia will feed “The Process” inside versus a defense that allowed the third-most points in the paint this season.
Those high-percentage interior buckets make it difficult for Washington to run the way it wants to, having to inbound the ball to start most possessions rather than hit the ground running off a turnover or rebound. The Wizards push one of the fastest paces in the league and thrive in transition — something that worked versus a bigger 76ers team in Game 1 when the Sixers were missing.
But the pace of the game changed drastically in the final two quarters, dropping from a rating of 104.0 in the first half to 99.0 in the second and the Sixers went on to sink almost 54 percent of their looks compared to only 46 percent in the opening 24 minutes. As Embiid rips the Wizards to shreds, Washington will have no choice but to collapse even more. That will open up space on the wing and in cutting lanes for Philadelphia’s talent-rich roster to shine.
PREDICTION: Philadelphia -8 (-110)
Over/Under pick
Despite the Game 1 win, the Sixers should be concerned about their defense. Philadelphia finished the regular season as the best Eastern Conference team in the NBA’s advanced defensive rating and allowed foes to shoot just 45.3 percent on the season — the fourth-lowest mark in the league.
What’s more, Philly allowed 76 points in the paint to the Wizards, who wrapped that layup drill firing at 56 percent on Sunday. The Sixers ranked eighth in PITP against during the season, allowing an average of just 46 per game. In three matchups with Washington, Philadelphia checked the aggressive D.C. offense to an average of only 42 points in the paint.
The Sixers will look to their size and physicality to punish the Wizards when they enter the paint on defense, not allowing the easy, breezy looks the Wiz enjoyed in Game 1. We mentioned the dedication to dominating the post from the 76ers offense, which will suck a lot of the energy out of this Washington team.
Bookies upped the Game 2 total from a closing number of 228 in the opener to 230.5 for Wednesday. Philadelphia has played in only eight games with totals of 230 points or more this season, going 2-6 Over/Under in those contests.
PREDICTION: Under 230.5 (-110)
Player prop pick
Like most teams, Washington doesn’t have an answer for Joel Embiid. The Wizards’ double team was ineffective in Game 1 once the big man got rolling in the second half and Philly will go right back to the well to tip off Game 2.
Washington will have no choice but to bring more bodies to clog up the key, which will turn Embiid into a distributor as the rest of the Sixers take advantage of the clean air in front of them.
Embiid finished Game 1 with three assists in 30 minutes of action, just above his season average of 2.8, and posted assist totals of three and five in the previous two matchups with Washington. It won’t take much — a couple kickouts and drop-ins to cutters — for Embiid to top his assist total in Game 2.
PREDICTION: Joel Embiid assists Over 2.5 (-170)
Wizards vs 76ers betting card
- Philadelphia -8 (-110)
- Under 230.5 (-110)
- Joel Embiid assists Over 2.5 (-170)
Picks made on 5/25/2021 at 10:46 a.m. ET
Did you know that if you parlayed today’s NBA Wizards vs. 76ers picks, you could win $47.89 on a $10 bet?
Use our NBA parlay calculator to create your own parlays and see their potential payouts.
Where can I bet on the NBA?
You can bet on NBA odds at every online and casino sportsbook, including NBA moneylines, spreads, Over/Under totals, and a ton of NBA prop odds. Head over to our best sportsbooks for NBA betting in your area.
