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While a lot of the talk in the Eastern Conference has been around the play of the Boston Celtics and their current No. 1 seed, don’t forget about the Philadelphia 76ers for a second. With Joel Embidd looking like one of the best big men in the game, Philly is looking to keep things rocking for the rest of the season and they’ve looked great thus far. That’s why the 76ers are big-time favorites against the Hornets this weekend. Will Embiid and Co. take care of business?
Come Saturday night, the 76ers will travel to North Carolina to take on a young Hornets team. Charlotte hasn’t quite lived up to the hype this year, as they’re 8-30 on the season. Yes, the Hornets are quite inexperienced, but being 22 games under .500 at this point in the season is not what anyone was expecting. They’ve looked like one of the worst teams in the league, which has been a huge disappointment for the local supporters.
| Philly vs. Charlotte odds |  |  |  |
| 76ers to win | -110 | -110 | -110 |
| Hornets to win | +125 | +125 | +125 |
| Over 195 points | -110 | -110 | -110 |
| Under 195 points | -110 | -110 | -110 |
The same can’t be said for the 76ers, as they’re 26-13 on the season. With their record, Philly holds the No. 3 seed in the East – they’re behind Boston and Milwaukee. The Celtics and Bucks have been close to perfect, but again, the 76ers can’t be ignored moving forward. With how great Embiid and others have looked, plenty of people think they’ll be able to make a ton of noise once the postseason arrives.
According to the best-rated sportsbooks, which includes the reliable Bovada review, the 76ers hold -110 NBA betting odds to take down the Hornets in Charlotte. Despite the Hornets being the home team, they hold +125 NBA odds. On paper, Philly has way too much talent in their favor. You’d think because the Hornets are the home side they’ll be able to get things done, but we don’t see it happening. We’re going with the 76ers as our pick.
these two have been shining. ✨
V⭐️TE #NBAAllStar: https://t.co/gI3jhXlcyd@NerdWallet pic.twitter.com/au2TPhIJ7q
— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) January 17, 2024
Joel Embiid is hoping to boost his NBA MVP odds
With plenty of regular season action still on the docket, Joel Embiid is hoping to boost his NBA MVP odds. Again, Embiid has been downright fantastic this year and he has a lot of people talking. What’s holding him back a bit is that so many people are focused on the Celtics and Bucks in the Eastern Conference, with Jayson Tatum and Giannis Antetokounmpo, respectively, leading those teams. With that said, Embiid is clearly better than those two.
You can’t ignore the fact that Embiid has been playing at both an All-Star and MVP level. On the season, the veteran playmaker is averaging 35.1 points and 11.6 rebounds a game. His 35.1 points a night is the best in the league. That’s impressive on its own. The one thing holding Embiid back is that he has yet to play in the NBA Finals during his career. The hope is that he can change that this season. Embiid knows that he and Nikola Jokic are the frontrunners the rest of the way.
electric Embiid.⚡️@MoraviaHealth pic.twitter.com/fn7csTHSj4
— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) January 17, 2024
“I just told him he’s the best player in the league,” Embiid said after a recent battle between the 76ers and Nuggets. “Like I told you earlier, he won a championship, that’s the best team in the league. He’s the Finals MVP. So I was just telling him, ‘Keep going, I’ll see you in two weeks, keep doing your thing, that’s why you’re the best in the league.'”
Even Embiid himself knows that Jokic may be the favorite because of his NBA Finals success, but Embiid has a chance to make history this season too. Per the oddsmakers, Embiid holds +300 NBA betting odds to win MVP. Jokic is right behind him at +350. From our chair, this is an MVP battle that will go back and forth the rest of the winter and this spring. If we had to make a pick, though, we’d go with Embiid.
76ers hold respectable NBA Finals odds
Looking ahead to the playoffs, the 76ers hold respectable NBA Finals odds, but they’re not at the top. Right now, the main buzz is surrounding the Nuggets, Celtics and Bucks. However, Philly checks in with the No. 5 NBA Finals betting odds at +1200 – they’re right behind the Clippers. In previous years, things would surely be looking a lot different at the top, but Philly is hoping to make a statement this spring.
Embiid has been amazing and he’s going to play a massive role in the 76ers trying to get things done. Recently, a lot of people in town thought that James Harden would be able to help bring the Larry O’Brien Trophy to Pennsylvania, but things didn’t go as planned. Harden had consistent issues with ownership and he’s since been traded.
With Harden out of the conference, this has once again put a ton of pressure on Embiid to be the No. 1 star and focus for the organization. He hasn’t disappointed, as he leads the league in scoring and he’s been a dominant force in the paint. Some people doubt that Philly can go in a Finals run, but you simply can’t rule them out.
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