Sixers Continue to Roll Without Embiid

Philadelphia (30-13 SU, 24-16-3) has won four of five games since losing MVP candidate Joel Embiid to injury. The Sixers are favored to improve on that mark when they visit Golden State (22-21, 21-22), which will play its third straight game without Steph Curry in the lineup.

Sportsbook Odds Analysis

The Sportsbook line is nearly identical to what it was when Philly visited Golden State last March when the Sixers were without Embiid and Ben Simmons while the Warriors didn’t have Curry. The Dubs upset Philadelphia 118-114 as 4-point dogs, their 12th win in the last 14 meetings.

Philadelphia News & Notes

Despite playing without Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons and Seth Curry lately, the Sixers haven’t skipped a beat. Philadelphia is 4-1 SU and 3-1-1 ATS in its five games since losing Embiid to a bone bruise 11 days ago, including a victory Saturday over Sacramento when it was also without Simmons and Curry.

Simmons returned Sunday from knee soreness against New York as the 76ers eked out a 101-100 overtime win, improving to 8-1 SU and 7-1-1 ATS in their last nine games.

Tobias Harris has been one of several players to step up their games in the absence of Philadelphia’s top stars, averaging 24.5 points per outing in his last five. Shake Milton had a team-high 21 points off the bench in Sunday’s OT win in New York, a day after scoring 28 points as Philly’s starting point guard vs Sacramento.

Dwight Howard has also averaged a double-double in seven games since the all-star break and recorded a game-high 13 rebounds in 32 minutes vs the Knicks.

Curry has been ruled out as he continues to recover from a sprained left ankle suffered last week against Milwaukee. The sharpshooting guard had scored in double figures in six straight games prior to the injury.

Golden State News & Notes

Steph Curry will miss his third straight game tonight due to a bruised tailbone that has forced him to sit out Golden State’s last two contests. Jordan Poole has been productive starting in Curry’s place at point guard, averaging 25.5 points and 36 minutes in the Warriors’ two-game split with the Grizzlies last weekend in Memphis.

Golden State was also without James Wiseman, Eric Paschall and Kevon Looney on Saturday due to COVID-19 health and safety protocols, which forced the Warriors to give 20-year-old Alen Smailagic his first career start at center. Smailagic committed three fouls in the first five minutes and saw just 8:04 of playing time, missing four of his five attempts from the field.

Fortunately for the Warriors, Paschall, Wiseman and Looney are all probable to return against the Sixers, although Paschall might need to pass another COVID-19 test. Each might be on a minutes restriction, however, which could force Draymond Green or Juan Toscano-Anderson to see some minutes at center.

Betting Pick: 76ers -3.5

Philadelphia is getting contributions from throughout the lineup and the Sixers’ depth should give them the edge in this matchup of teams missing their top scorers.