Sixers vs. Pacers Betting Preview (January 31, 2021)

On Sunday night, the Sixers and Pacers meet for the first time this season. The Sixers (14-6) are the top team in the Eastern Conference, while their hosts, the Indiana Pacers (11-8) are the owners of the fourth seed in the East.

Let’s get into our Sixers-Pacers betting preview, including odds, boosts, and picks.

Preview

This game should be an interesting one as the top-seeded Philadelphia 76ers are on the road taking on the fourth-seed Indiana Pacers.

The Sixers are riding high coming off wins over the Los Angeles Lakers and Minnesota Timberwolves. They’re 7-2 in their last nine games and have seemingly found the groove expected of them prior to the season. Early MVP favorite Joel Embiid has been an absolute monster as of late:

Joel Embiid last 5 games:

35.6 PPG
10.4 RPG
56.0 FG%
42.9 3P%
16.8 FTA/G

He’s the first Sixer to average 35/10 in a 5-game span since Charles Barkley. pic.twitter.com/MGJm5eCajY

— StatMuse (@statmuse) January 30, 2021

The Indiana Pacers are 5-5 over their past 10 games and feature a different lineup than on opening night. The Pacers were part of the massive trade that sent James Harden to the Brooklyn Nets. As part of the four-team deal, Indiana sent Victor Oladipo to the Houston Rockets, while the Nets’ Caris LeVert found his way to the Railroad City.

Unfortunately for the Pacers, LeVert was unable to suit up for the club after a small mass was found on his kidney during a team physical. He’s since had surgery to treat the renal cell carcinoma of his left kidney, but his status with the team remains up in the air.

Sixers vs. Pacers Odds

Here’s the line for the Sixers and Pacers at DraftKings Sportsbook:

• • Spread: Sixers -1.5, Pacers +1.5
  • Moneyline: Sixers -121, Pacers +102
  • Total: 223

And here are the current best available odds for the Sixers (may not display on Google AMP pages):

 

Bets We Like With a Sixers Win

FiveThirtyEight gives the Sixers a 55% chance of winning with a -1.5 point line. Philadelphia’s implied win probability based on the moneyline is 52%.

Click here to get 55-1 Super Bowl odds on the Bucs or Chiefs to win at FanDuel Sportsbook.

 

Sixers to Win and Under 223 Points (+245, DraftKings)

The Philadelphia 76ers and Indiana Pacers have had some hard-fought games between them over the past couple of years. Indiana has won three straight matchups dating back to December 31, 2019, following a run of three straight Sixers wins dating back to January 17, 2019.

That said, the level of talent between these teams is far wider that the standings would indicate, assuming Philadelphia’s franchise center Joel Embiid is in the lineup. Embiid has been every bit of an MVP candidate through the early part of the season, dominating practically every opposing interior defender thrown his way. He’s averaging 28.9 points, 10.8 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.3 blocks, and 1.3 steals in the month of January. His numbers over his last five games have been even gaudier.

If Joel Embiid plays, the Sixers should win comfortably. Without him, it would be a closer contest, one which the Sixers should still win despite being on the road. The Sixes are 13-3 when installed as a favorite this season, which is a trend we expect to see continue.

Although we’ve taken the over in a number of Sixers games this season, the under makes more sense in this matchup. In four matchups a season ago, the total points went under 223 points twice, both of which occurrences came in Indianapolis. Over their past four games, Indiana’s total points line has gone under 223 points three times. The Sixers have seen the total in their past four games hit 224 or fewer points in each.

Expect this to be a low-scoring affair.

Get DraftKings Sportsbook and grab up to $1,000 in free bets and a no-brainer +100 odds boost on a TD to be scored during Super Bowl 55 right here.

 

Sixers, Nets, and Raptors All to Win (+220, BetMGM)

We believe strongly in the Sixers’ ability to win their game for all the reasons listed above, so let’s take a look at the other parts of the three-team parlay bet boost from BetMGM.

Despite being on the road, the Brooklyn Nets (13-8) are the heaviest favorite in this parlay at -6.5 points. They’re in Washington to take on the dismal 3-12 Wizards. Washington is 0-4 over their last four games and 1-7 over their last eight games. The Nets, meanwhile, are the second seed in the Eastern Conference and have rattled off four consecutive wins over the Thunder, Hawks, and the Heat twice. James Harden will miss this game with a left thigh contusion, but Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant should be more than enough to lead Brooklyn to victory.

The Toronto Raptors (7-12) will play host to the Orlando Magic (8-12). Despite being lower in the standings, BetMGM has installed the Raptors as a -5.5 point favorite over the Magic. Toronto has lost three straight games after winning consecutive matchups against the Heat and Pacers. Orlando, meanwhile, is 1-4 over their past five games. If anything, this figures to be a game featuring two somewhat shorthanded teams due to injury. We believe this matchup is the one to keep an eye on.

Click here to get a 100% deposit match of up to $500 with BetMGM.

 

Bets We Like Independent of Outcome

Seth Curry Over 14.5 Points and Assists Combined (-120, BetMGM)

After going 2-16 from the field in the two games prior to their matchup with Minnesota, Seth Curry broke out a bit against the Timberwolves, hitting 4-7 shots from the field, including going 2-3 from deep. Hopefully that’s a sign of things to come. Over the first four games in January, Curry shot 14-20 from three-point range. It stands to reason that he could be at the beginning of an exciting run from deep.

In the month of January, Curry is averaging 13.8 points and 2.4 assists per game. We’re rolling with this bet comfortably since it factors in both scoring and assists. He should be able to clear the 14.5 combined points and assists line against the Pacers.

Ben Simmons to Record a Double-Double (-133, FOX Bet)

Although FOX Bet has a market on the board for Ben Simmons to record a triple-double at +600, we’re advising a bit of caution by taking a safer bet of Ben Simmons to record a double-double at -133 odds. The Sixers point guard is averaging 12.9 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 7.9 assists per game this season. His points per game this month are virtually identical (12.8), while his assists (8.5) are up and his rebounds (7.9) are down.

He recorded a triple-double two games ago against the Lakers and has gone through impressive stretches of double-double or near triple-double efforts this season. In four games against the Pacers a season ago, Simmons averaged 19.0 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 5.8 assists. There’s value here.

 

The post Sixers vs. Pacers Betting Preview (January 31, 2021) appeared first on Crossing Broad.