Nets vs. 76ers: How to bet on the spread, total and moneyline with Joel Embiid sidelined

Albert Bainbridge IV, NorthJersey.com

It's an Atlantic Division showdown Saturday night as the Philadelphia 76ers (30-17, 3rd in Atlantic) host the Brooklyn Nets (19-28, 4th in Atlantic) at Wells Fargo Center.

The big news heading into this one is that the Sixers will be without reigning MVP Joel Embiid for at least this weekend as the team continues to evaluate how serious his meniscus injury is.

Still, the Sixers were able to close a five-game road trip with a 127-124 victory over the Utah Jazz, thanks to Tyrese Maxey leading the way with his second 50-point game of the season.

On the other side, the Nets couldn't spoil Kevin Durant's return to Brooklyn as they fell to the Phoenix Suns, 136-120, on Wednesday night at Barclays Center.

This is the second meeting of the season between the Nets and Sixers. Philadelphia cruised to a 121-99 win on Nov. 19 in Brooklyn.

Here's my betting breakdown on the spread, total and moneyline for this divisional matchup:

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Nets vs. Sixers spread: Nets +4.5 (-112), Sixers -3.5 (-110)

Nov 17, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey (0) dribbles the ball down the court during the first quarter against Atlanta Hawks at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Godfree-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 17, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey (0) dribbles the ball down the court during the first quarter against Atlanta Hawks at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Godfree-USA TODAY Sports

With the news of Embiid out for at least Saturday's contest, the Sixers stay as a small favorite.

Despite being without their best player, I'm still on the 76ers.

Philadelphia is the second-best team against the spread (ATS) on its home court this season as it has covered 16 of 23 games at the Wells Fargo Center.

The Nets have also not fared well covering on the road, currently 8-13 ATS, which is the third-worst record in the entire NBA.

Even when looking at the recent head-to-head history, the 76ers have covered in seven of the last 10 meetings, including the Nets not covering in a matchup

If this line were closer to a six- or seven-point spread, I'd likely lean on Brooklyn's side.

However, this number is still low enough for my liking to take Philadelphia in this one.

PointsBet and Bet365 have the best price of -110 (Bet $110 to win $100) for the 76ers to win by four or more points.

Prediction: Sixers -3.5 (-110)

Nets vs. Sixers total: Over 230.5 points (-110), Under 231.5 points (-110)

Newly acquired Brooklyn Nets players Spencer Dinwiddie (26), Dorian Finney-Smith (28), Mikal Bridges (1) and Cam Johnson (2) stand on the court during a break in the second quarter action of an NBA basketball game against the Philadelphia 76ers, Saturday, Feb. 11, 2023, in New York. (AP Photo/Jason DeCrow) ORG XMIT: NYJD113
Newly acquired Brooklyn Nets players Spencer Dinwiddie (26), Dorian Finney-Smith (28), Mikal Bridges (1) and Cam Johnson (2) stand on the court during a break in the second quarter action of an NBA basketball game against the Philadelphia 76ers, Saturday, Feb. 11, 2023, in New York. (AP Photo/Jason DeCrow) ORG XMIT: NYJD113

There's no denying how high scoring the NBA has been this season with games routinely finishing in the 260s and 270s on a nightly basis.

With that being said, one of the "lower" totals on the board Saturday's six-game slate resides in South Philly.

This matchup in the past has been tremendous to the under as eight of the prior 10 contests have gone below this total, including five straight.

This total is also definitely impacted by Embiid's absence as he was averaging a league-best 35.3 points per game this season prior to his injury.

Could the Sixers keep up the pace they had in Utah when they almost scored 130 on the road? Potentially. However, while I don't think we'll see the low scoring affairs these two teams have had in the recent past, I'd wager on the total staying just under 231.5 points.

The place to go to bet on the under is at BetMGM where the 231.5 points is at -105 (Bet $105 to win $100).

Prediction: Under 231.5 points

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Nets vs. Sixers moneyline: Nets (+155), Sixers (-180)

Feb 1, 2024; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey (0) looks on while the Utah Jazz shoot foul shots during the third quarter at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 1, 2024; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey (0) looks on while the Utah Jazz shoot foul shots during the third quarter at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports

Outside of the Embiid storyline, the other focal point of Saturday's contest could be the potential return of the team's former first overall pick Ben Simmons. He's reportedly expected to play in this one after missing the Nets last game with a knee contusion.

While injuries have plagued Simmons career, he looked sharp in the team's 147-114 win over the Jazz as he finished two rebounds short of a triple-double in only 18 minutes in his first game back in nearly three months.

If Simmons does indeed play, I could see the Nets keeping this one within striking distance for a majority of the game against an Embiid-less Sixers team.

Nevertheless, getting the 76ers as a relatively short favorite on the moneyline on their home court versus the Nets who own one of the worst road records is too good to see a potential upset here.

FanDuel Sportsbook has the best available odds for the 76ers on the moneyline at -180 (Bet $180 to win $100) on Saturday night.

Prediction: Sixers 118, Nets 111

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Nets vs. 76ers odds and picks with Joel Embiid injury

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