The rapid descent of Ben Simmons has the Philadelphia 76ers in a quandary. It’s clear at this point that the former No. 1 overall pick doesn’t want to play in Philly and the club isn’t going to deal him for nothing. Getting something to keep the championship window open is a must, but until that time it’s a black cloud hanging over the organization and will surely affect the team’s play. The Sixers are hoping that with the group they have they can put together another strong season and they get an early test against the Brooklyn Nets when the teams collide on Friday.
The contest between the Brooklyn Nets and Philadelphia 76ers takes place at 7:30 p.m. ET on Friday, October 22, 2021, from Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia and will air live on ESPN. BookMaker.eu will have odds for every game on the Friday NBA schedule.
NBA Betting at BookMaker.eu
Odds Analysis
Its only one game but the Nets still haven't figured out the Bucks, falling 127-104 in the season opener on Tuesday as a 1.5-point road dog. It isn't an ideal situation to start out with games on the road against the teams you battled with for the top of the conference last season. But you have to face them eventually. And things have rarely turned out in Brooklyn's favor in this matchup. The Nets lost the final two games of the last season series and the Nets have just two wins in the previous 11 meetings while going 3-8 ATS in that stretch. Philly might have a more difficult opening to their season with a back-to-back right off the bat. The Sixers play at New Orleans on Wednesday before returning for their home opener. Philadelphia won the East by a game over the Nets thanks to their outstanding play inside the WFC. The Sixers owned the best home mark last season going 29-7, which was also second-best in the NBA.
Brooklyn Nets
New seasons bring about new challenges and the Nets are faced with one due to Kyrie Irving's decision to not get the experimental COVID vaccine. State mandates prohibit him from playing in New York and the club opted to sit him for all games. There's a chance Irving changes his mind, which would likely happen after a few missed paychecks. But I gained more respect for the man for sticking to his beliefs. The Nets rarely had their big three on the floor together last season with Irving, James Harden and Kevin Durant dealing with various ailments and personal issues. They had Milwaukee on the ropes in the second round of last season's playoffs with KD the only one of the big three on the floor. And they were a big toe away from advancing to the conference final.
Don't read too much into Tuesday's loss. It's just one game and the Nets faced an emotional team amped by an enthusiastic crowd. The Nets didn't play defense particularly well last season allowing an average of over 114 points and stopping Giannis wasn't part of the game plan. When the offense doesn't click the Nets usually have problems. Durant scored 32 and Harden had 20, a little less than you'd expect. Patty Mills scored 21 off the bench hitting all seven three-pointers, but there wasn't much else. The rest of the reserves combined for just four points.
Philadelphia 76ers
At least the Nets know Irving won't be playing. The situation in Philly with Simmons is a bit hazier. Simmons was horrible last postseason losing confidence in his game and shot. Doc Rivers has repeatedly said he'd welcome Simmons back, but his behavior in practice that led to a one-game suspension is a sign that he's trying to force a move. It's gotten so bad that the rest of the team is basically saying they could care less about the man. And when I say the rest of the team I mean Joel Embiid. It's clear that the situation will have an impact on the team until something is done.
If the Sixers can work past their internal issues and get a front line player in a deal for Simmons, they are still a quality team with a good chance of contending for the top-seed in the East. Embiid is the key and he becomes more important without Simmons. The only problem is that he's played more than 51 games in a season just twice. But when he's on the floor he can be unstoppable. He averaged a double-double last season with a career-best 28.5 points per game and 10.6 boards. They lose a lot with Simmons out so they will need others to step up.
NBA Odds Pick
It's hard to handicap games so early in the season especially when teams have lingering off-court issues and new players in new roles. If the Nets could turn back the clock they'd have a dynamite lineup with LaMarcus Aldridge coming out his brief retirement. Brooklyn got a wakeup call on Tuesday and I expect more from the bench. The Sixers, meanwhile, have to deal the Simmons situation and that's not going well.
NBA Odds Prediction: Brooklyn Nets / UNDER
BookMaker offers play-by-play betting odds for live sporting events every day! The user-friendly wagering interface on your smartphone provides an easy way to place bets on the go. Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute, so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker Sportsbook!
