Sixers vs. Rockets Betting Pick (February 17, 2021)

On Wednesday night, the Philadelphia 76ers will play host to the Houston Rockets. The Sixers enter play at the top of the Eastern Conference with a record of 18-10, but have struggled of late, dropping three straight games on the road heading into tonight’s contest. The Rockets’ 11-16 record is a far cry from what was expected prior to the season, with Houston mired in 13th place in the West.

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

Preview

The Philadelphia 76ers have managed to maintain their grasp on the top seed in the Eastern Conference despite a three-game skid to finish out their four-game road trip. The Sixers put up a heck of a fight against the Utah Jazz, who hold the best record in the league, but were unable to come away with a win despite a career night from Ben Simmons. Joel Embiid missed that contest, but is expected to be back in the lineup against Houston.

Click here to bet $10, win $50 if the Sixers score at least one point on Wednesday against the Rockets with FOX Bet.

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The Houston Rockets are mired in a six-game losing streak, including double-digit losses to the Washington Wizards and New York Knicks in their last two games. Tonight’s game marks the final game of a three-game road trip that can’t end soon enough. Their injury report isn’t going to instill any real confidence in their chances of pulling off a road win. Eric Gordon and Victor Oladipo are doubtful with right groin soreness and a right foot strain, respectively. PJ Tucker is questionable, while Dante Exum and Christian Wood are out.

Sixers vs. Rockets Odds

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

- Spread: Sixers -10.5, Rockets +10.5
- Moneyline: Sixers -590, Rockets +430
- Total: 227.5

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 just a 80% chance of winning with a -8.5 point line. Philadelphia’s implied win probability based on the moneyline aligns pretty closely at 82%.

Sixers to Win and Over 227.5 Points (+123, DraftKings)

This game is one that we’d avoid wagering on the point spread. Rather, it’s a better play to parlay a Sixers win with the over. Although the Sixers are riding a three-game losing streak, they’ve played better than that record indicates. It’s especially worth noting that Philadelphia was without MVP candidate Joel Embiid against a Utah Jazz squad that features the best record in the NBA. The Rockets, meanwhile, are an absolute mess and have lost six consecutive games, including their first two games of a three-game road trip. This should be a comfortable Sixers win.

As for taking the over, consider the following. The Sixers have seen the total go over 227.5 points in six of their last seven games:

1/31/21 v. IND (229 points)
2/3/21 @ CHA (229 points)
2/6/21 v. BKN (232 points)
2/9/21 @ SAC (230 points)
2/11/21 @ POR (232 points)
2/13/21 @ PHO (231 points)
2/15/21 @ UTA (257 points)

The lone exception to that seven-game stretch was an anomalous game against a shorthanded Portland Trail Blazers squad that was missing Damian Lillard. The teams combined for 226 total points in that contest, just two points away from a perfect seven in a row over 227.5 points.

Some might point to the historical trend of the Sixers and Rockets seeing the total points go under the threshold in the last four games between the teams, but Houston had all-world scorer James Harden. He now plays for Brooklyn.

Get DraftKings Sportsbook and grab 100-1 odds on your team to make a three-pointer by clicking right here.

Bets We Like Independent of Outcome

Bet $10 to Win $50 if the Sixers Score Against the Rockets (FOX Bet)

This promo is for new users only at FOX Bet and it’s for Wednesday night’s game between the Sixers and Rockets, not tonight’s game between the Sixers and the Jazz. If the Sixers score a point on Wednesday (a guarantee), new users can turn a $10 bet into up to $50 in free bets at FOX Bet when taking advantage of this promotion. Getting in on the action is simple:

Register and verify a new FOX Bet account.
Make a minimum deposit of at least $10.
Place your first bet on the “5x Your Money If PHI Scores 1+ Point” promotion, which can be found under the “Promotions” tab.
Bet up to $10 on the Sixers to score at least one point.
24 hours after the end of the game, your account will be credited with up to. $50 in free bets.

This is a great promo to take advantage of with a small financial commitment from new users.

Joel Embiid, Bradley Beal, and Zach LaVine to Each Score 25+ Points (+150, FOX Bet)

This bet from FOX Bet represents an interesting one featuring three of the NBA’s Top-7 scorers. There’s certainly risk, as it’s effectively a three-part player parlay, but there’s reason to believe it could hit for a nice return.

Bradley Beal is the NBA’s leading scorer, averaging a ridiculous 33.1 points per game. He’s in the toughest matchup of the night as his Washington Wizards will host the Denver Nuggets. Beal’s been money all season, scoring at least 25 points in 20 of his 22 appearances. He failed to do so one time in the past five games, when his club took on the Toronto Raptors. Beal shot just 8-20 from the field, yet still finished with 24 points. Aside from that, he’s scored no fewer than 31 points in each of the four other games over that stretch.

Zach LaVine is averaging 28.2 points per game, which is good for 7th on the NBA’s scoring leaders list. He’s racked up at least 25 points in six straight games and his home matchup against the Detroit Pistons should be an advantageous one. In fact, LaVine scored at least 25 points in three of Chicago’s four meetings with the Pistons a season ago.

NBA MVP candidate Joel Embiid will look to reestablish himself early in the Sixers’ meeting with the Houston Rockets after missing Philadelphia’s 134-123 loss to the Utah Jazz. Embiid has scored at least 25 points in eleven straight games and is averaging 33.2 points per game in the month of February.

If you want real value in three of the league’s top scorers to fill it up independent of outcome, give this one a look at FOX Bet.

Note: A maximum $100 bet would pay out $250.

Ben Simmons Over 23.5 Combined Points and Assists (-115, BetMGM)

Sixers point guard Ben Simmons had a career night in the Sixers’ road loss to the Jazz, scoring a career-high 42 points, shooting 15-26 from the field and going 12-13 from the free throw line. He also dished out 12 assists and flirted with a triple-double, as he pulled down 9 rebounds in the losing effort. With Sixers franchise center Joel Embiid back in the lineup, we expect Simmons to settle back into his role in line with his 15.2 points per game average. That said, Simmons has had a double-double in three of his last five games (a bet you can get at BetMGM at +110 odds), and has crossed the 23.5 combined points and assists threshold in four of his last six games. The two games over that stretch in which he failed to cross 23.5 points and assists, he finished with 22 against Phoenix and 23 in a win over Sacramento.

Click here to get a $600 risk-free bet with BetMGM.

Sixers vs. Rockets Prediction

Pick: This game should be a straight-forward win for the Sixers, who are the healthier team and an incredibly tough team to take down at home. Take the Sixers to Win and Over 227.5 Points. Also, take a flier on the Embiid, Beal, and LaVine market.

Click here to get a $1,000 risk-free first bet with FanDuel Sportsbook.