Week 3 NFL Picks, Predictions & Best Bets | NFL Picks Against the Spread | NFL Props | Survivor
Chris Meaney
The 2021-22 NBA season is officially underway, as the season opened up Tuesday with the ring night ceremony, and things ramp up even more Wednesday. Friday presents us with another marquee matchup in the East, as the Nets will travel to Philadelphia to take on the Sixers in a battle of two of the East’s top teams.
How do I watch the Nets vs. 76ers?
Date/Time: Oct. 22, 7:30 p.m. ET
Arena: Wells Fargo Center
How to watch: ESPN
Opening odds: Nets -1.5 | O/U 230.5 (DraftKings Sportsbook)
Brooklyn Nets vs. Milwaukee Bucks Odds
Looking for the latest odds for this matchup? Here is the latest, courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.
- Nets -1.5
- Total: 230.5
Opening Odds for Nets vs. Sixers
The Nets open as slight favorites despite getting ran out of the gym by the Bucks in their season opener. This likely has much to do with the ambiguity of the Sixers right now, as the situation surrounding point guard Ben Simmons is a big mystery as to when or even if he’ll play for the team this season. This is a massive blow against a team like the Nets, who have two players that are extremely difficult to defend, especially on the perimeter. With no Simmons to assist with this, it makes sense that the Nets are road favorites.
Matchup to Watch – Kevin Durant vs Joel Embiid
Kevin Durant got his season started on the right foot despite the Nets’ loss in the opener, posting a team-high 32 points in 30 minutes. He added 11 rebounds and four assists as well, often setting up for his teammates. While it was a valiant effort, it wasn’t enough to stop the Bucks. Durant should have no problem repeating this, however, against a team with fewer defenders than the Bucks in his way.
Joel Embiid should be able to produce against a Nets’ team that has suffered the consequences of not having a dominant center for the last season. Over his last two games against the Nets, Embiid has averaged 36 points, 11 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 2.5 stocks per game. With Embiid clearly over the Ben Simmons debacle (below), he should be able to focus his attention on dominating this team in the post yet again.
Latest Nets Betting News & Info
Kyrie Irving remains away from the team until he gets fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as the Nets got their season off to an 0-1 start both overall and against the spread after their 23-point loss to the Bucks.
The Nets were also (surprisingly) one of the worst teams in the NBA last season against the spread in games after a loss, posting a 12-16-0 record. While they posted a 21-20-0 (51.2%) record ATS on the road last season, the added concerns without their third star could alter that success this season. With that said, James Harden is more than capable of filling almost any void and he looked great in the opener, en route to a 20/8/8 performance.
Latest Sixers Betting News & Info
Similar to the Nets, the Sixers have been a focal point of the media in the offseason for reasons outside of basketball, as Ben Simmons and the Sixers have been far too public regarding their feud.
With Simmons suspended for the first game of the season, his potential debut comes in this game, but it remains to be seen if he will be fit for the game, willing to play or even allowed to play. Until this situation is figured out, it’s hard to have much faith in the Sixers covering night-in and night-out, depending on the matchup.
Nets vs. Sixers Betting Picks
With so much ambiguity surrounding Simmons, it’s hard to get a confident read on this game. With that said, I believe the Nets are the better team even without Kyrie Irving, regardless of whether the Sixers have Simmons. Because of that, I expect a bounceback from the Nets and will confidently back them as a 1.5-point favorite.
There is a chance that this spread moves in favor of the Sixers if it gets reported that Simmons is going to suit up, but I am operating as if he will not.
NBA Best Bets
- Spread: BKN -1.5
- Total: no bet
For more information, betting picks, and analysis, check out the FTN NBA Bet Tracker.
NBA Player Props – Bucks vs. Sixers
NBA betting props for Nets vs. Sixers will be released the day of the game, stay tuned for picks, props and more.
For more action, check out FTNBets’ NBA page.
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How to Bet on This Game
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