We knew at some point COVID would catch up to a player, either through a positive test or contact tracing. It couldn’t have come at a worse time for the Brooklyn Nets, who must take on the Philadelphia 76ers Thursday without Kevin Durant. Facing quarantine because of exposure to a COVID-positive individual, Durant is expected to miss at least four games. The Nets had a hard time winning with KD in the lineup losing two straight and four of five before the hammer fell, and the prospects of winning without him are slim.
The contest between the Philadelphia 76ers and Brooklyn Nets takes place at 7:30 p.m. ET on Thursday, January 7, 2021, from Barclays Center in Brooklyn and will air live on TNT. BookMaker.eu will have odds for every game on the Thursday NBA schedule.
NBA Opening Lines at BookMaker.eu
Philadelphia 76ers (Check Back Later)
Brooklyn Nets (Check Back Later)
Over/Under (Check Back Later)
Odds Analysis
It looked like the balance of power was shifting in the Atlantic Division with the Nets unleashing their duo of Durant and Kyrie Irving to compete with the likes of Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons of Philly. While the early results were positive things have soured for the Nets while the Sixers own the best record in the NBA at 6-1 following a 118-101 win over Charlotte on Monday. A favorable schedule helped Philly to its fast start but they still had to win the games. And the Sixers did that and more. They covered the closing line in their last four games and are 5-2 ATS. The Nets had a fast start to the season with big wins over Golden State and Boston, but they’ve cooled since going 1-4 SU and 0-5 ATS in their last five. They will play Utah on Tuesday before ending a six-game homestand against the Sixers.
Philadelphia 76ers
The Sixers are thriving in their first season under Doc Rivers bolting a 6-1 start thanks to a high flying offense. The schedule has helped a bit with all but one of the first seven games against teams that missed the playoffs last season. A shortened campaign just puts more of an emphasis on those games and the Sixers have delivered. Embiid and Simmons do what they do and the rest of the roster is providing valuable minutes. Embiid averages a double-double with 25 points and 12.6 rebounds while Simmons is producing 13.5 points, 9.8 rebounds and 7.2 assists per game.
Often a third wheel since being acquired, Tobias Harris is off to a blistering start. He’s shooting 50 percent overall and over 48 percent from three-point range while averaging 18.8 points. Their 127-112 win over Charlotte showed how dangerous the Sixers can be. Simmons had a triple-double, Embiid went for 19 points and 14 rebounds and Harris hit 4 of 7 triples for 24 points. Seth Curry and Danny Green rounded out the starting five going for 21 and 13 points respectively.
Brooklyn Nets
The Nets went all in for this season with the acquisition of Durant to pair with Kyrie Irving. It looked like a brilliant move when they won their first two games by a combined 54 points. Of course things couldn’t go that smoothly for the entire season. And the fun ended after two games. Durant has been a scoring machine averaging 28.2 points and Irving chips in with 26.8 points a night. However, there are concerns over the team’s depth with the loss of Spencer Dinwiddie for the year. And now KD is out for at least a week after being tossed into the COVID protocol.
While the Nets are scoring 118 points a game the defense has suffered. Coach Steve Nash cited defensive lapses and turnovers in a 123-122 loss to Washington over the weekend. Never mind the fact that Irving and Durant each missed a potential game-winner in the waning seconds. KD had six of the team’s 20 turnovers in the game and the Wiz had 13 offensive rebounds. The Nets are 1-4 in five games following their opening stretch and needed a 145-point outburst to claim their only victory in that span.
Player to Watch
With Durant on the COVID shelf the scoring load will fall on Irving and he must deliver for the Nets to have a chance. He scored at least 25 points in five of the six games he’s played while shooting over 48 percent from the floor. He’s likely to draw more attention with Durant out making it important for him to set up his teammates. Irving dished out 10 assists against the Wizards, but failed to hit a big shot that could have won the game in the final seconds.
NBA Odds Pick
This will be a test for the Sixers after opening with a soft schedule. But it’s also a test for the Nets to see how they respond without Durant. The Sixers have more depth and they are playing a fast-paced style that fits their roster. I just don’t know if Brooklyn can keep up and I’m not ready to bet on them.
NBA Odds Prediction: 76ers 118, Nets 107
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