On Wednesday night, the Sixers and Wizards meet in first game of the 2020-21 season. While the Sixers are projected to finish among the Eastern Conference’s top four teams, pundits are allowing for the possibility that the Wizards could sneak into the postseason. Let’s get into our Sixers-Wizards betting preview, including odds, boosts, and picks.

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Preview

The 2019-20 season represented a disappointing year for both Philadelphia and Washington for entirely different reasons.

Sixers Overview

The 2019-20 Philadelphia 76ers were an ill-conceived hodgepodge of mismatched pieces with no consistent threats to shoot from deep. It was a wasted season for the Sixers’ cornerstone players Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons that ultimately cost head coach Brett Brown his job.

The Sixers went out and wooed former Head Coach of the Year and Clippers head coach Doc Rivers to take their vacant head coaching position. Rivers admitted that after briefly entertaining taking a break from the game, he simply couldn’t pass up on an opportunity to coach Embiid and Simmons. Roughly a month later, former Executive of the Year Daryl Morey to head basketball operations.

Morey retooled the roster on the fly, jettisoning Al Horford and Josh Richardson to Oklahoma City and Dallas, respectively, in exchange for Danny Green, Terrance Ferguson, and Seth Curry. He then signed Dwight Howard to a one-year deal for the veterans minimum exception. In just a few moves, Morey built a roster that should, in theory, play to the strengths of the two most important stars on the team.

Wizards Overview

Washington entered the 2019-20 season with non-existent expectations, they managed to qualify for the NBA’s Orlando bubble. Unfortunately for the Wizards, they dropped their first seven games and finished 1-7, failing to force a play-in tournament against the Orlando Magic.

The team from the nation’s capital had a relatively successful offseason, re-signing sharpshooting big man Davis Bertans to a 5-year, $80m deal. In even bigger news, they completed a swap of massive contracts, shipping their former #1 overall pick John Wall and a 2021 first round pick to Houston in exchange for Russell Westbrook. Westbrook should give the Wizards an immediate boost and has a familiar face as head coach in Scott Brooks.

Sixers vs. Wizards Odds

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

  • Spread: Sixers -7, Wizards +7
  • Moneyline: Sixers -275, Wizards +225
  • Total: 214

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 an 82% chance of winning with a -9 point spread. Philadelphia’s implied win probability based on the moneyline is 73.3%.

The Sixers went 2-0 in the abbreviated preseason, outscoring the Pacers and Celtics by a combined +15 point margin. The Wizards went 1-2, including a three-point win over Detroit and losses to Detroit and Brooklyn by a -16 point margin.

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Sixers Win and Under 230.5 Points (+160, DraftKings)

The oddsmakers and projection models both agree that the Sixers should win this game by a decent margin. The Sixers are a rejuvenated team with a number of impact players looking to rebound from a disastrous sweep suffered at the hands of the Boston Celtics.

This bet hinges on the total points line of 230.5, which is the third-highest total set in any NBA game on Wednesday night. Sure, the final four Sixers games at Wells Fargo Center went over the total point threshold and the teams went over 230.5 total points in two of three meetings a season ago, but recent trends -albeit a limited sample size- aren’t in agreement. Between Philadelphia and Washington, only one game cleared the 230.5 point threshold this preseason: a 119-114 Washington loss to the Brooklyn Nets.

Note: If you’d prefer to take the over and the Sixers to win, the odds are nearly identical at +155.

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Joe Embiid Over 29.5 Points and Sixers Win (+200, FOX Bet)

This bet isn’t one we love, but it’s one worth pointing out if you’re a big believer in Joel Embiid’s determination to assert his dominance and begin the revenge tour after not being named to an All-NBA team.

It took Embiid six games to eclipse the necessary 29.5 point mark a season ago, and he averaged just 23.3 points per game in the first month of the 2019-20 season. A slightly better trend in favor of this one is Embiid’s 25.3 points per game average in three contests against Washington last season.

If you believe the The Process will pick up where he left off at the end of the postseason, scoring 30+ points in three straight games, and execute at a high level and you want additional value on the Sixers to win, this one is worth a cautious look.

 

Bets We Like Independent of Outcome

Ben Simmons to Attempt a 3-pt FG vs. WAS (+450, SugarHouse)

It might seem like an outlandish bet at first glance, but if you believe that Ben Simmons will put up a three point shot, this one is worth your time. He doesn’t even have to make it. For what it’s worth, after not taking a three in the Sixers’ first preseason game against Boston, he did hoist up one attempt from behind the arc against the Pacers. Note: the maximum bet you can place on this one is $100.

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Joel Embiid to Have a Dunk Assisted by Ben Simmons (+300, FOX Bet)

Given the history and chemistry between the Sixers two cornerstones, it’s entirely plausible that the player with the best vision and passing ability on the team (Simmons) will find a man that Doc Rivers is committed to getting set on the low block (Embiid) for a dunk. Note: the maximum bet you can place on this one is $50.

Bet Worth a Shot in the Dark

 

Ben Simmons Over 0.5 Made 3-PT Field Goals and Sixers to Win (+1000, FOX Bet)

If you’re planning on throwing down money on Ben Simmons to attempt a three-point shot as outlined above, you can get an absolutely bonkers odds boost if you think he’ll make a shot from deep and the Sixers will win.

When it comes to bets with +1000 odds, this one is somewhat plausible, though only if you’re a true believer.

 

Sixers vs. Wizards Prediction

Pick: The Sixers should win this one, but aside from taking a shot on some player props tied to the Sixers winning, the safe bet is to take the Sixers outright without parlaying the total points or spread.

Take the Sixers to Win and consider dabbling in some of the player props independent of outcome.