Every upset win is a big one this time of year for the Philadelphia 76ers, as they jockey for position in the Eastern Conference playoff race. They hit the road for a crucial game against the Oklahoma City Thunder this weekend.
Oklahoma City struggled early in the season as it worked to bring stars Paul George and Carmelo Anthony into the fold, but has found a groove of late. The Thunder has won six straight games and will be riding high heading into this Sunday matchup.
The 76ers are a much better team than they have been in the past several years, but will still be the underdogs in this matchup. Oklahoma City still has time to assert itself as one of the better teams in the West, and keeping alive this winning streak will be a step in the right direction.
This war on the floor will go down Sunday, January 28, 2018, at 6 p.m. ET at Chesapeake Energy Arena. The game will be televised live on ESPN.
We'll have NBA odds at BookMaker.eu available for this and every game on the NBA Sunday schedule.
Odds Analysis
Philadelphia is 23-21 straight up and 25-18-1 against the spread. The 76ers are 12-9-1 against the spread on the road this season. Philadelphia 11-7-1 against the spread as the underdog on the season.
Oklahoma City is 27-20 straight up but just 19-28 against the spread. The Thunder has covered in 10 of 24 attempts at home this year and will aim to improve on that. Oklahoma City is just 15-27 against the spread as the favorite on the season.
Player To Watch
Russell Westbrook -- The Oklahoma City superstar has played pretty well all season but has really turned it up a notch lately. The All-Star point guard and reigning MVP had 46 points, six rebounds and six assists last time out in a win over the Wizards.
He had a huge outing a few games prior, amassing 23 points, 20 assists and nine rebounds in a win over the Cavaliers. Westbrook averaged a triple-double last season and all of a sudden is zeroing in on doing it once again.
He is putting up 24.9 points, 10.0 assists and 9.6 rebounds per game. If he can increase his rebounding total and stay on pace passing the ball, Westbrook could do it again and put himself in the MVP discussion for a second consecutive year.
The 76ers have some talented pieces in Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons, but they are both big men. The 76ers don’t really have a player who will be able to adequately slow down Westbrook, so look for him to have a big showing in this one.
Injury Report
Concerningly, No. 1 overall pick Markelle Fultz is still sidelined for the 76ers. He has been dealing with a shoulder injury for much of the year, but even now as he gets healthy, something has happened to Fultz’s shooting stroke.
He is not looking comfortable at all when doing something as easy as shooting free throws. Fultz is trying hard to overcome the issue but it is certainly hindering him presently. Last year in his lone season at the University of Washington, Fultz averaged 23.2 points per game on 47.6 percent shooting.
In limited time in his rookie season, Fultz is averaging only 6.0 points per game while shooting just 33 percent from the field and 50 percent from the free throw line. He has yet to attempt a three-pointer at the professional level.
Fultz’s return is still unknown. He seems to be close to full health but isn’t expected to play until he can get his shooting form fixed. It’s unlikely he plays in this one.
Free NBA ATS Picks
The 76ers are on the upswing, as Embiid has unlocked his All-Star potential while Simmons is looking to win the Rookie of the Year. Philadelphia should be able to qualify for the playoffs, but winning this game on the road against a streaking Thunder team is too much to ask.
Take the Thunder to capture this victory.
NBA Odds: Thunder 105, 76ers 100
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