NBA betting sites have deemed Philly a -850 favorite to win this series. Brooklyn is coming in at +625. This is the teams’ first matchup in the postseason since the opening round in 2019. Game 1 is scheduled to be played on Saturday at 1 p.m. (ESPN) from the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia.
Nets vs. 76ers Game 1 / Date, Time, TV
| Date: | Saturday, April 15, 2023 |
| Time: | 1 p.m. ET. |
| Location: | Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA. |
| TV Coverage: | ESPN |
Odds by MyBookie.ag
| Team | SP/RL | TOTAL | ML | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nets | +8½ (-110) | 216 (-110) | +295 |  |
| 76ers | -8½ (-110) | 216 (-110) | -370 | |
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Betting Brooklyn Nets
Brooklyn began the season with Kevin ‘The Return of’ Durant, Kyrie ‘The Earth is Flat and So is My Head’ Irving, and Ben Simmons. Only Simmons is still technically on the roster; he’s out for the rest of the season with a nagging back problem.
The Nets met Irving’s demands and traded him to the Dallas Mavericks on February 5 (good riddance, say I), and did likewise with Durant when he requested to be sent to the Phoenix Suns not long after.
The Nets got in exchange Mikal Bridges, Cameron Johnson, Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith and 6 first-round draft picks. Simmons, a crucial element in last season’s multi-team Harden blockbuster deal, has played only 42 games.
The three-time All-Star recorded career worsts in minutes (26.3), points (6.9), rebounds (6.3), assists (6.1) and free throw percentage (43.9) per game. He was sidelined in late March because of a nerve impingement in his back.
Brooklyn no longer possesses the star power it once had, but Bridges’ rise as a legit primary scorer has kept the Nets in control of a guaranteed playoff berth. Bridges have been averaging 26.1 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.7 assists in the past 27 games.
Dinwiddie has also bloomed, posting a career-high 9.1 assists per game in his second tenure with Brooklyn. Brooklyn finished with a 45-37 record. That is one game ahead of seventh-place Miami in the league team standings. However, they went just 11-13 following the All-Star break.
All things considered, the Nets are longshots in the conference title (+15000) and NBA championship (+50000) betting markets at the best online sportsbooks.
Betting Philadelphia 76ers
Will Philadelphia finally be able to get over the hump following years of disappointment? The Sixers have lost in the conference semis 4 times in the last 5 seasons. They were otherwise swept in the covid-shortened season by the Boston Celtics.
Not since the 2001 season has Philadelphia made it past the second round. James Harden is eligible to opt out of his contract this offseason, mounting pressure on head coach Doc Rivers and the 76ers to step up in the postseason.
The 76ers, after all, are fresh off another solid regular season. They won 54 games, which is their most in 22 years, with Most Valuable Player candidate Joel Embiid. Embiid is averaging 33.1 points per game.
He became the first center to win consecutive scoring titles ever since Bob McAdoo accomplished that feat three straight seasons in a row from 1973 to 76. The seven-footer added 10.2 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 2.7 total blocks and steals per game.
The aging but still productive Harden is on his side, providing the 76ers with a duo that is capable of leading them to the big one. In their first visit together to the playoffs last season, Philadelphia lost in 6 games to the Miami Heat.
Even though they strengthened the wing in the summer, with the additions of Danuel House, De’Anthony Melton and P.J. Tucker, Philly got off to a bumpy start. The 76ers lost 4 of their first 5 games, then Harden was placed on the injured list with a strained right foot.
Both Tyrese Maxey and Embiid suffered foot injuries of their own in the ensuing weeks, the 76ers stuck around long enough and they weathered the storm. The 76ers (+450) are one of only three teams in the East with conference title odds lower than +1600 at betting sites. They share the fifth-best odds (+1000) to win the League Finals.
Brooklyn Nets vs. Philadelphia 76ers Game 1 Prediction
Philadelphia won all four games with the Nets this season. The 76ers enter this series as heavy chalk at betting sites. Brooklyn’s title chances went up in smoke when they traded Irving and Durant. The Sixers will have the two best players on the court in Embiid and James Harden, plus homecourt advantage.
Even if the Nets steal a win in Philadelphia, it’s tough to see them keeping up with the Sixers in the course of seven games. No wonder the odds lean heavily toward Philadelphia. Philly is an eight-point fave in Game One. Brooklyn is listed at +265. The 76ers were a league-best 48-34 against the spread this season.
