Philadelphia 76ers vs. Sacramento Kings Betting Preview – NBA, February 09, 2021

The bottom of the Pacific Division faces the top team in the Atlantic Division in this cross-conference match up. The Kings are a win away from moving into the Western Conference playoff spots, while the 76ers lead the Eastern Conference and are looking to pull away from the chasing pack.

If you look at the last six games between these two, they have recorded three wins and three defeats. That does not tell the whole story, as it’s the 76ers that carry all of the momentum into this game, having won the last three meetings.

The odds look about right for this game, and the spread doesn’t appear to offer much value for either team. However, the points total looks massive, and this could be where our pick comes from.

The 76ers have been superb this season, winning 17 of their 24 matches as they lead the way in the East. They have won five of their previous six games, with their only loss coming against the Trail Blazers a few days back. That game was close as both teams entered half time level. However, Portland blew them away in the third quarter on their way to a 105-121 victory.

On the road, Philadelphia hasn’t always had their way as they have won six and lost five of their games this season. But they are on a decent run at present, winning four of their previous five road trips. This also includes winning the last three in a row.

Here are the latest betting trends for Philadelphia:

The 76ers have a good, solid offense this season that shoots well. However, it hasn’t fired away from Philadelphia as they average five fewer points per game on the road, which is undoubtedly a concern for them.

They have a swift attack that can break on the opposition incredibly fast. Although this does often lead to a high number of turnovers, which is something you might not have expected for a team that is doing so well.

But just as quickly as they lose it, they win it back with a tremendous hustling defense, which is why this isn’t as a big concern for them as it would be for other teams.

Their defense matches up perfectly to their offense as they are both ranked tenth in the NBA this season. They like to keep things tight around the key, which does sometimes leave them open against three-pointers. But when you have only lost seven games all season, why would you change anything? On the plus side, it does mean they can make many blocks per game.

What is different about their defense to their offense is that their defense has performed better on the road this season.

Joel Embiid has been the dominant force for the 76ers this season, and there have been many comparisons between him and the great Allen Iverson as of late. Because of all the attention he is getting and his superb performances this season, many teams have tried doubling up on him recently, but it’s a ploy that hasn’t worked when you look at his stats.

The 76ers have two players doubtful for this game as Scott and Ferguson both struggle with injuries.

Although the Kings find themselves at the bottom of the Pacific Division, it must be said that the Division probably has the best teams of any right now. Also, a win here tonight could lift them off of the bottom and into the playoff positions in the West.

Their form has picked up as of late, having won seven of their last eight games. Even when they did lose, it was only by a single point against the Heat at the end of January. They started and finished that game well, but they lost the game in the second and third quarters.

They have a record of 7-6 in Sacramento this season, which isn’t the best figure. However, they have won their last three in a row against the Knicks, Celtics, and the Nuggets, all good opposition.

Here are the latest betting trends for Sacramento:

The Kings and the 76ers offenses are very closely matched, with the 76ers ranked tenth and the Kings 11th. They play a similar style of basketball to Philadelphia as they work the ball well around the court, making many openings to score from.

One area that certainly needs some improvement is their free-throw shooting, which currently stands at 72%, the third-lowest in the league.

However, their defense isn’t anything like the 76ers, and there aren’t many teams that have such a bad defensive unit that you can compare it to. They are awful across the board, and at times it’s as if they are sending with four players out on the court. They aren’t working hard enough to rectify this, which is a worry.

They need to go back to the drawing board and back to basics and start with simple things like winning the ball back more often, closing down space, and generally making life more difficult for their opponents.

Shooting Guard Buddy Hield has been one of the more consistent performers for the Kings this season, and he spoke after their most recent win against the Clippers about overcoming the shooting issues they have had recently. When you look at his figures, especially from deep, you have to feel that he is talking about his teammates and not himself.

The Kings only have one player doubtful for this one, and that is Jeffries, who is battling with an ankle injury right now.

These are probably the most in-form teams in the NBA right now, so this should be one hell of a game. I, therefore, think it’s hard to call a winner. For me, the 76ers have a better team, but the Kings have got in an excellent habit of winning lately, and they are just doing enough each night to get over the line.

While both teams have good offenses, neither blows me away. They have a combined average of 216 points in their last ten meetings, which is well below the points total here, and I see the scoreboard falling short again tonight.