NBA Betting: The Best Bet in League Right Now is Against 76ers
by Bovada Sportsbook Staff | Feb. 28, 2014
One of the Live Betting games available at Bovada this weekend is Saturday’s Washington at Philadelphia matchup and it’s a great chance to talk about the 76ers. It’s really this simple when it comes to NBA betting right now: if you aren’t wagering against Philadelphia, then you aren’t paying attention.
All the proof needed came this week. On Monday the 76ers hosted the team with the NBA’s worst record, the Milwaukee Bucks, who had yet to win a road game in 2014. So naturally the Bucks scored a season-high 130 points in a 20-point victory. Milwaukee had lost 21 of its past 24 games overall and 10 straight road games before the offensive explosion. Even Bucks coach Larry Drew said this: "we are not a 130-point team."
That was Philly’s 11th straight loss overall and 10th straight at home. If it’s possible, things got worse on Wednesday. The Orlando Magic ended their 16-game road losing streak with a 101-90 victory in Philadelphia to complete a winless February for the Sixers. They covered the spread three times in the month and never in back-to-back games; Philly has covered in consecutive games just twice in the New Year. They have the NBA’s worst ATS record at 22-36.
So why is the team so bad? The Sixers have made no secret of the fact they are tanking this season. That was first made apparent when they traded All-Star point guard Jrue Holiday to New Orleans on draft night last June for the rights to Pelicans draft pick Nerlens Noel and a 2014 first-round pick.
Philly made the deal despite the fact Noel was rehabbing a torn ACL suffered at Kentucky and wasn’t likely to play for at least the first half of the 2013-14 season. The 76ers decided right before the season began that they wouldn’t let Noel play at all. Why risk another injury and why add a good player when the whole plan was to lose as much as possible?
Philadelphia got worse at last Thursday’s trade deadline by trading two of its best players in Evan Turner and Spencer Hawes to Indiana and Cleveland, respectively. The only player of value the Sixers received – it was otherwise second-round draft picks – was the Pacers’ Danny Granger. He has never played a minute for Philly and won’t. The team bought him out this week. Granger is free to sign with any team and is likely to land either with the Clippers or Spurs.
So for the rest of the season, Philadelphia will be starting D-League caliber players alongside Thaddeus Young and Rookie of the Year favorite Michael Carter-Williams. You can assume that if either suffers even a minor injury they will be shut down immediately.
Might Philly end its home skid against the Wizards on Saturday? The Sixers did win in Washington but that was way back on November 1. The Wizards easily won the next two matchups. Washington is averaging 108.3 points this season against the Sixers’ league-worst defense. The Wizards are 100/1 to win the NBA championship.
Also available for Live Betting Saturday is Denver at Portland. The Blazers have followed a three-game losing streak with a four-game winning streak (3-1 ATS). They are 3-0 this season against the Nuggets.
On Sunday there are three Live Betting games: Knicks at Bulls, Warriors at Raptors and Mavericks at Spurs. Dallas-San Antonio could easily be a first-round playoff preview in the Western Conference. That would likely be fine for the Spurs, who are 2-0 (and ATS) this season against their in-state rivals. San Antonio is expected to have star point guard Tony Parker back for the game. He hasn’t played since February 10. San Antonio remains the second-favorite at 9/2 behind Oklahoma City to win the West.
Bet on every shot, dribble and pass with NBA Live Betting at Bovada.
