76ers Look To End Losing Skid Vs Pacers

The Philadelphia 76ers (8-5, 7-6 ATS) visit the Indiana Pacers (5-8, 7-6) on Saturday for their first meeting of the season. The 76ers come into the contest on a three-game losing streak while the Pacers are 4-2 in their last six outings.

Sportsbook Odds Analysis

The Pacers opened as 2-point home favorites for Saturday’s matchup. The total is set at 217.5 points with the UNDER going 5-0 in Indiana’s last five games. The Pacers are 9-2 ATS in their last 11 games at home while the 76ers are 1-4 ATS in their last five at Gainsbridge Fieldhouse.

Philadelphia News & Notes

The 76ers started the season hot, going 8-1 through their first nine contests, but have hit a rough patch lately with a three-game skid. They fell 115-109 to the Toronto Raptors in their last outing on Thursday as Fred VanVleet dropped 32 points on the 76ers. Tyrese Maxey led Philadelphia with a season-high 33 points, now averaging 32 over his last two games.

Joel Embiid is tops on the team in both points (21.4) and rebounds (9.6) this season, though the center has only played nine games. He has been out of the lineup since November 8 after testing positive for COVID-19.

Indiana News & Notes

The Pacers came out on top in their last game on Thursday with a 111-100 win over the Utah Jazz. Malcolm Brogdon led the way with 30 points and nine rebounds while five players hit double digits in scoring.

Brogdon is also Indiana’s top scorer this season, averaging 23.6 points per game along with 6.9 rebounds and 6.4 assists. Domantas Sabonis has been a key performer as well with 18.3 points and 11.2 rebounds.

Caris Levert (back) is questionable for Saturday’s contest. The shooting guard has appeared in just five games this season after suffering a stress fracture in his back in late September.

See Odds Shark’s Best NBA Sites

How Philadelphia Will Cover

It’s no coincidence that the 76ers have hit a rut since losing Embiid, but they’re still a strong team with plenty of depth. Maxey has shown the ability to raise his game, with two 30-plus point performances in back-to-back outings, while Tobias Harris and Seth Curry have also been consistent scorers. If those three can have a good night, Philadelphia should be able to break their losing streak.

How Indiana Will Cover

Philadelphia’s defense has suffered since the loss of Embiid, giving up an average of 112 points per game over the last three contests. The Pacers may not have any superstar scorers but Sabonis and Myles Turner should have a lot more room to operate in the paint without the 76ers’ star center in their way. Brogdon has also been hot lately, averaging 27.5 points over his last two games – if he can keep up the pace, Indiana could cover the spread and get the win.

Computer Pick: Pacers -2.5

If you're looking for NBA predictions throughout the season we have you covered with our NBA computer picks page.