76ers vs Pelicans Picks & Odds: Williamson, Embiid Go Head-To-Head In New Orleans

The New Orleans Pelicans (22-12, 18-16 ATS) and Philadelphia 76ers (20-13, 20-13) collide on Friday at Smoothie King Center as the hosts look to earn their fifth straight win. Can the Sixers slow down the streaking Pelicans? Find out in our 76ers vs Pelicans prediction.

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76ers vs Pelicans Sportsbook Odds

Sportsbook Odds

The Pelicans opened as the 3.5-point favorite at home with the total set at 225 points. The UNDER is 10-5 in the last 15 meetings between the two teams while Philadelphia is 7-1 in its last eight games against New Orleans, so you may want to go with the visitors in your 76ers vs Pelicans prediction.

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Embiid Scores 48 But Sixers Fall To Wizards

The Sixers had their eight-game win streak snapped on Tuesday as they fell 116-111 to the Washington Wizards. Joel Embiid nearly carried his team to victory singlehandedly with 48 points and 10 rebounds, while James Harden also had a double-double with 26 points and 13 dimes. Kristaps Porzingis (24 points, 10 rebounds) topped Washington while three others finished in double digits for the Wizards.

Embiid may very well be playing the best basketball of his career right now, averaging a whopping 37 points and just under 10 rebounds per game in December. The big man is the NBA’s leading scorer this year with 33.7 points per game and could very well earn himself his first MVP award if he can keep up the pace through the second half of the season.

Williamson Scores Career-High 43 Points In Pelicans Win

The Pelicans eked out a 119-118 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday to earn their fourth consecutive victory. Zion Williamson was a man on a mission for the Pelicans, scoring a career-high 43 points while capping the game with New Orleans’ final 14 points in the last three minutes to lead his team to another win. Anthony Edwards and D’Angelo Russell each scored 27 points for the Timberwolves in the loss.

Williamson has been on a heater this month, scoring 30.2 points per game while finishing with less than 25 points just once in his last 11 contests. The power forward has helped New Orleans establish one of the best offenses in the NBA this season, ranking third with 117.8 points per game behind only the Boston Celtics (118.9) and the Sacramento Kings (118). The Pelicans finished 18th in points per game last year (109.3).

76ers Player Prop: Embiid OVER 34 Points (+114)

Embiid is the hottest player in the NBA right now and the oddsmakers know it, but the big man should still be considered almost a lock to hit the OVER on Friday. The Sixers center has scored at least 34 points in eight of his last 11 outings and there’s no reason why he should struggle to score against New Orleans’ 14th-ranked defense.

Pelicans Player Prop: Williamson OVER 29 Points (+116)

While Embiid has certainly been on a tear, we can’t ignore Williamson, who’s been nearly as dominant for the Pelicans. Confidence should be at an all-time high for the power forward following his 43-point performance where he shot 14-for-21 from the field. Williamson has been incredibly efficient all month long, shooting just under 63 percent on field goal attempts – look for him to stay hot against Philly.

76ers vs Pelicans Picks & Insights

76ers: Keys To Victory

The Sixers had their win streak snapped on Tuesday but given what we’ve seen from them over the last few weeks, there’s plenty to be positive about. The offense averaged 120 points per game during the eight-game run – if that trend continues, they should beat the Pelicans.

Pelicans: Keys To Victory

While Williamson is certainly the talk of the town right now, he’s not the only reason why New Orleans has become one of the best offensive teams in the NBA. Even with Brandon Ingram out, the Pelicans still have CJ McCollum and Jonas Valanciunas playing great basketball right now, plus plenty of help from the bench – that depth could give them the edge over the 76ers.

NBA Computer Picks: 76ers +1

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