The Brooklyn Nets were left for dead when the regular season started, but they bucked projections by finishing above .500 on the year and making the playoffs. They will aim to hang around for awhile but it won’t be easy as they begin their journey with a first-round matchup against the Philadelphia 76ers.
The 76ers have one of the finest collections of talent in the Eastern Conference and have designs of making an NBA Finals run. Brooklyn has played well down the stretch but it will be the clear underdog in this first round series in NBA wagering.
This NBA basketball series between the Philadelphia 76ers and Brooklyn Nets will kick off on Saturday, April 13 at 2:30 p.m. ET from the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The game will be nationally televised on ESPN.
We'll have NBA basketball odds at BookMaker.eu available for every game of the 2019 NBA postseason.
Odds Analysis
The Nets won three straight games to end the regular season, finishing the year with a record of 42-40. Brooklyn went 23-18 at home on the year and 19-22 on the road. The Nets will need to steal at least one road game in this series as the 76ers have the home court advantage.
Philadelphia wrapped up the year with a record of 51-31. The 76ers won only four of their final 10 games, but that is misleading. The team had already locked in to the No. 3 seed in the East and rested key players to increase their good health for the postseason. The 76ers went 31-10 at home this season but a game under .500 on the road in NBA gambling.
Season Series
The Nets held up well in the regular season meetings between these teams, winning two of the four games. Brooklyn captured the first matchup on Nov. 4 in impressive fashion, cruising to the 122-97 win at home.
The 76ers bounced back in the second contest, squeaking out a 127-125 win on the road as Jimmy Butler had 34 points and 12 rebounds. The Nets went on the road in mid-December and came away with an entertaining 127-124 win. Philly equaled things in the final head-to-head showdown of the year between these teams in late March, coming away with a 123-110 victory.
Injury Report
Philadelphia star center Joel Embiid could miss the beginning portion of this series with a knee injury. If that is the case, it’s a big-time development as he is the best player on the floor. Embiid is averaging 27.5 points and 13.6 rebounds per game but has missed multiple games down the stretch. He has been injury-prone in his career and it is a situation to monitor very closely. Ther 76ers will still be favored if he doesn’t play but it could have an effect on the spread.
Brooklyn small forward DeMarre Carroll has a sprained wrist which kept him out of the regular season finale. He is averaging 11.1 points and 5.2 rebounds per game this year. Small forward Joe Harris also sat the final game with a foot injury but it seems minor.
Free NBA ATS Picks
The Nets played well down the stretch but this is a very young team. The 76ers had some issues during the regular season, but as long as Embiid is healthy, the team is ready to turn it up for a playoff run. Brooklyn will be outmanned in this series and won’t put up much of a fight.
Look for Philadelphia to grab quick control of this series and cruise into the Eastern Conference semifinals in NBA betting lines.
NBA ATS Pick: Philadelphia 76ers to defeat Brooklyn Nets in five games
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