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• Indiana Pacers vs. Philadelphia 76ers
• Thursday, Jan. 25 at 7 PM ET
• Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
The good times keep on rolling for the Philadelphia 76ers, as they’re playing some of their best basketball right now. Joel Embiid continues to be the talk of the town, as he’s playing at an MVP level for the Eastern Conference powerhouse right now (more on that below). With Philly looking so sharp, they’re expected to make a ton of noise this spring. With that said, they’ve got a big game coming later this week and the 76ers are expected to take down the Pacers on Thursday night.
This is a showdown between two teams who are both projected to make the postseason. The 76ers are in third place in the conference standings, while Indiana is the No. 7 seed. There’s a lot of time for things to change in the coming months, but both squads have looked sharp this year and their respective fan bases are ready to see them keep things going past the regular season.
| 76ers vs Pacers odds |  |  |  |
| 76ers to win | -110 | -110 | -110 |
| Pacers to win | +125 | +125 | +125 |
| Over 195 points | -110 | -110 | -110 |
| Under 195 points | -110 | -110 | -110 |
With Philly, they’ve been improving each week on both ends of the floor. One of the main things for them is that injuries haven’t been an issue. Players getting banged up surely has been an issue for them in the past. Meanwhile for the Pacers, they’re playing with continuity and they are also the kind of team that’s capable of posting an upset win whenever they’re on the hardwood. Could that be the case on Thursday night in Philly?
According to the best-rated sportsbooks, which includes the reliable Bovada review, the 76ers hold -110 NBA betting odds, which isn’t a surprise at all since they’re the home team. The Pacers are the visitors and the underdogs, holding +125 betting odds for this matchup. Indiana has a ton of talent and they’ve got young studs too. However, with how well Philly has looked in recent weeks, we’re going with the 76ers as our pick.
historic night in South Philly. pic.twitter.com/lCU12aTM2H
— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) January 23, 2024
Joel Embiid sent a major MVP statement against the Spurs this week
One of the major topics of conversation right now is that Joel Embiid sent a major MVP statement against the Spurs this week. In case you missed it, Embiid put together a historic performance against San Antonio, scoring 70 points in a win. That’s not a typo, folks. Embiid indeed dropped 70 points, a career-high, and now the world is going to be following his performances for the rest of the way.
As things stand, Embiid is in a head-to-head battle with Nikola Jokic for NBA MVP. Embiid is the slight favorite with his +250 NBA betting odds, while Jokic is right behind him at +325. However, no one can deny that Embiid most definitely jumped ahead in this race thanks to the 70-point showing he had against San Antonio. Yes, the Spurs are in the middle of a down year, but that doesn’t take away from the incredible night for the 76ers superstar.
admins feel the same way, KD.
goodnight sixers twitter. 🥰 https://t.co/yIVSydozGH
— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) January 23, 2024
“The time that it kind of hit me was the start of the third quarter,” 76ers Coach Nick Nurse said. “Embiid had a bucket and an and-one in the first minute. He’s already got 37 or 38 — jeez, that’s a lot with a whole half to go. I was like, ‘This is going to be a big number tonight.’ He can score in so many ways, and his sheer size gets him a lot of stuff around the basket and a lot of free throws.”
Embiid is one of the best players in the NBA and he’s going to be in the hunt to win MVP the rest of the way. It’s really going to come down to how he and Jokic close out the year. This one really could end up going either way, but if we had to make a pick right now, we’d go with Embiid.
76ers are still chasing the Celtics and Bucks in the Eastern Conference
While there’s a lot of positivity surrounding Philly, it’s important to remember that the 76ers are still chasing the Celtics and Bucks in the Eastern Conference. Both Boston and Milwaukee have been incredible this year and they’ve seen a boost in their NBA Finals betting odds since the start of the season. They’re No. 1 and No. 2 in the Eastern Conference, with Philly behind them at No. 3.
Boston is led by Jayson Tatum, who has been brilliant this season for the Celtics. As for Milwaukee, Giannis Antetokounmpo is a beast in the paint and he has reminded everyone of how special of a player he is. Both those guys are almost at the same level as Embiid in terms of MVP projections.
Having said all of that, the 76ers are still a contender and they should be taken seriously once the playoffs get here too. With +1100 NBA Finals betting odds, you never know if that number might improve if they keep on winning and Embiid continues to look so incredible. People all over Philly are excited about this team’s potential the rest of the way.
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