Who’s prepared for the stretch run of the NBA season?
The All-Star break has come and gone, and there are 9 video games on faucet Thursday night time because the NBA schedule resumes. That group of video games was headlined by Ja Morant and the Memphis Grizzlies heading out on the highway to face Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers.
The Sixers are 3.5-point favorites over the Grizzlies at BetMGM with the whole listed at 229.5.
Philly gained 4 straight coming into the break and sits at 38-19 general, three video games behind the Boston Celtics for first place within the Japanese Convention standings (and a half-game behind the Milwaukee Bucks). Embiid has been enjoying at an MVP stage as soon as once more, however are the Sixers outfitted to make a run on the Celtics within the East?
With Embiid and James Harden main the way in which, Philly has proven the power to beat nearly anyone within the NBA. However the Sixers additionally are likely to have some actually head-scratching performances. That may occur over the course of an 82-game season, however these points have surfaced within the postseason in years previous.
The Sixers haven’t superior to the Japanese Convention finals since 2001 and have misplaced within the East semifinals in 4 of the previous 5 seasons. May this be the yr these fortunes change? Oddsmakers appear skeptical.
The Celtics and Bucks are the favorites to emerge from the East, listed at +115 and +185, respectively. The Sixers are +550 to win the East and +850 to edge out the Celtics within the Atlantic Division.
The Grizzlies, in the meantime, are 35-22 and in second place within the West, 5 video games behind the Denver Nuggets. The Grizzlies — who’re +750 to win the West — have struggled over the past month, ending a stretch the place they misplaced eight of 9 video games. Nevertheless, they gained three of 4 earlier than the break and wish to preserve that going to begin the second half.
A giant purpose for the group’s latest decline is the absence of bruising massive man Steven Adams. Adams is slated to return to the ground quickly, however not quickly sufficient to match him up in opposition to Embiid.
What else is occurring within the NBA?
There are fairly a couple of intriguing matchups elsewhere on the Thursday schedule.
The primary-place Nuggets had been 2.5-point highway underdogs in opposition to the Cleveland Cavaliers, who gained eight of 10 coming into the break.
Behind the Nuggets and Grizzlies, the Western Convention is a jumbled mess. Seeds No. 3 by means of 12 acres inside 4.5 video games of each other within the standings. Most of these groups are in motion on Thursday.
The New Orleans Pelicans are 5.5-point underdogs in Toronto, the Dallas Mavericks are 14.5-point house favorites over the San Antonio Spurs, the Utah Jazz are favored by 1.5 factors at house over the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder, and the Sacramento Kings are 6.5- level house favorites over the Portland Path Blazers.
Oh, and there is additionally a showdown between the Golden State Warriors and the Los Angeles Lakers. Steph Curry remains to be out with a leg damage, so the Lakers are listed as 5.5-point favorites at BetMGM.
Loads of bubble groups in motion in school hoops
We’re inching nearer to Choice Sunday and a number of other groups on the NCAA match bubble are enjoying on Thursday night time.
Most bracket prognosticators have a minimum of eight Massive Ten groups comfortably within the discipline of 68, however a couple of extra are within the hunt. Wisconsin is certainly one of them, and the Badgers posted a double-digit victory over Iowa on Wednesday night time.
Penn State, in the meantime, has an enormous alternative on the highway vs. Ohio State on Thursday. OSU has misplaced 13 of 14 however is favored by 2.5 factors over the Nittany Lions.
The match prospects for Michigan do not look nice, however the Wolverines have three Quad 1 alternatives of their closing 4 regular-season video games. That stretch begins with a highway sport at Rutgers. The Scarlet Knights are favored by 5.5.
Two Massive Ten groups that will not need to sweat on Choice Sunday are additionally in motion as Illinois hosts No. 21 Northwestern. The Wildcats have gained 5 straight however are 5.5-point underdogs in Champaign.
Within the Pac-12, USC has the possibility to additional solidify its case with two highway probabilities in three days, starting with Colorado. The Trojans, who’ve misplaced 5 of their final six highway video games, are 2.5-point underdogs vs. the Buffs.
The second highway sport for USC is vs. Utah on Saturday. Earlier than that, the Utes hosted No. 4 UCLA on Thursday and are 7.5-point underdogs. Utah is 17-11 general and 10-7 in Pac-12 play, however its resume lacks a marquee win. An upset right here will surely assist.
Elsewhere, Memphis is favored by simply 2.5 factors on the highway at Wichita State. The Tigers can be sensible to keep away from shedding to anyone aside from No. 1 Houston over their final 4 video games of the common season.
What’s the perfect guess?
I’ll take Penn State +2.5 at Ohio State.
Massive Ten house groups have been superb to bettors this season, however Ohio State hasn’t been certainly one of them. The Buckeyes are 2-14 ATS in Massive Ten play and simply 5-8 ATS at house this season. They have been a favourite in all 13 house video games they’ve performed whilst they proceed to lose.
Penn State in all probability must win three of 4 down the stretch if it needs to get to the NCAA match. Jalen Pickett has been enjoying like an All-American for PSU. And with Zed Key sidelined for OSU, PSU’s lack of inside protection will not be as expensive as it has been in different video games. OSU is in free fall and enjoying a mixture of freshmen and journeymen transfers. It is not an excellent combine.
I feel the PSU wins outright, however I am going to take the two.5 factors.