Bryan Armetta shares his preview, prediction and pick for Tuesday’s game between the Washington Wizards and Philadelphia 76ers.
At 10-9, the 76ers remain in the thick of the playoff race. That’s despite, as always, a slew of injuries. Even without center Joel Embiid, Philadelphia has managed to stay afloat thanks to Tyrese Maxey, the Eastern Conference’s leading scorer. The guard will have an enticing matchup on tap tonight against the last-place Wizards. Washington, despite some improvement across the roster, has posted a dismal 3-16 record.
Can the Wizards keep things close on the road? Below is my preview, prediction and pick for Tuesday’s game between the Washington Wizards and the Philadelphia 76ers.
The 76ers are 13.5-point favorites (-110) over the Wizards on DraftKings Sportsbook. Philadelphia is favored at -850 on the moneyline. The total is set at 235.5 points.
Wizards vs. 76ers prediction, preview
The Wizards, for all their flaws, have won two of their last three games. Those wins came against the Bucks and Hawks as well, not exactly pushovers. Still, it’s difficult to get too excited about this rebuilding squad. Washington ranks 27th in offensive rating (109.9) and 30th in defensive rating (123.7); that’s not a winning combination. No player on this roster is averaging 20+ points per game. However, second-year pro Alex Sarr has taken major strides this season. The Frenchman has posted 19.1 points, 8.6 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game while shooting 52% from the field.
Rotations have been unpredictable, to say the least, in D.C. Kyshawn George is the only Wizards player averaging more than 30 minutes per game this season. In addition, head coach Brian Keefe has to balance the workload between unproven talents and experienced veterans. In the latter group, CJ McCollum and Khris Middleton have been inconsistent at best. As for the youngsters, George, Sarr and rookie Tre Johnson have taken on major roles on offense. With that being said, Johnson (hip) and Sarr (adductor) are out tonight on the second leg of a back to back. In addition, George (toe) is questionable to play.
One reason for hope in Washington is due to the injury status of its opponent. Joel Embiid (knee) is out yet again, while fellow contributors Kelly Oubre Jr. (knee) and Trendon Watford (adductor) are also sidelined. In addition, Quentin Grimes (calf), Paul George (knee/back) and Andre Drummond (knee) are questionable to play tonight. However, the latter two took part in Philadelphia’s Tuesday morning shootaround, per PhillyVoice.com’s Adam Aronson.
With that being said, the Sixers will have the clear-cut best player on the floor tonight in Maxey. Through 19 games, the former All-Star has recorded 32.3 points, 4.8 rebounds and 7.6 assists per game while shooting 47% from the field. On an injury-plagued Philly squad, the 25-year-old has been forced to take on a massive workload. Maxey currently leads the NBA with 40.7 minutes and 22.9 field goal attempts per game. In addition, he ranks inside the association’s top ten players with a 30.1% usage rate.
Wizards vs. 76ers pick, best bet
The 76ers, given all their injury issues, are a difficult team for bettors to trust. However, the Wizards are confirmed to be without some of their best players on Tuesday. That’s bad news for an already thin Washington squad. The potential return of George and Drummond could make things even easier for Philadelphia. Following a double-overtime defeat on Sunday, expect the Sixers to get back on track tonight.
Best Bet: 76ers -13.5 (-110)
