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Pelicans vs 76ers Picks and Odds

Eric Rosales

by Eric Rosales in NBA Basketball

Updated May 6, 2021 · 8:17 PM PDT

Zion Williamson layup at the rim
The New Orleans Pelicans are in Philadelphia to battle the East-leading 76ers Friday night. (Photo by Stephen Lew/Icon Sportswire)
  • The New Orleans Pelicans start 5-game road trip in Philly vs 76ers
  • Joel Embiid is third in league scoring, Zion Williamson is eighth
  • Get the latest Pelicans vs 76ers odds, betting preview and a pick below

The New Orleans Pelicans’ playoff hopes will be made or broken as they embark on a 5-game road trip.

It starts in one of the toughest places to play — at the Wells Fargo Center, home of the East-leading Philadelphia 76ers.

Philadelphia is putting together quite a finishing surge to the postseason, having won six in a row to put a 2.5-game lead on second-place Brooklyn. New Orleans, meanwhile, enters this winning three of their last four, but will be without major pieces Friday night. It’s no surprise the home side is a large 8.5-point favorite in this one.

Pelicans vs 76ers Odds

Team Spread at BetMGM Moneyline Total
New Orleans Pelicans +8.5 (-100) +300 Ov 228.5 (-100)
Philadelphia 76ers -8.5 (-100) -375 Un 228.5 (-100)

Odds as of May 6. Tipoff is Friday at 7pm ET

Stretch-Run 76ers

After a deflating 4-game skid that included losses to the Warriors, Suns and twice to the Bucks, the 76ers have gotten right through the softer side of their schedule.

In their subsequent six wins, Philly has won by double digits in all but one, an overtime 2-point win over the San Antonio Spurs.

Ben Simmons missed all four of those losses with a non-COVID-related illness, but he’s been his usual jack-of-all-trades self during this streak.

On top of his outstanding play defensively, Simmons has averaged 11.3 points on 31-of-44 shooting from the field (70.5%), while adding 4.6 rebounds and 4.6 assists  — and a game winner to boot. In fact, with Simmons in the lineup, the 76ers have reeled off 10 wins in a row.

Of course, he’s is the table-setter to MVP candidate Joel Embiid, who has delivered in a big way all season. Last time out in a win over the Rockets, the NBA’s third-leading scoring delivered 34 points to go with 12 rebounds. He also went 14-for-16 from the free-throw line, the first time in nine games he’s gone for 10+ free throw attempts.

Zion vs Everyone

One of the great stories this season has been the development of point-Zion, an unstoppable wrecking ball that can get to the hoop with the speed of a guard, and finish with the force of Shaq. Williamson is eighth in the NBA in scoring at 27 points a game, shooting it at a surreal 61.1% from the field, to go along with 7.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists.

Last time out against the Warriors, he posted 23 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists in a 108-103 win.

But the Pelicans will be severely undermanned in this one. Reigning NBA Most Improved Player Brandon Ingram has been ruled out for Friday with an ankle injury. He’s averaging 23.8 points, 4.9 rebounds and 4.9 assists on the year. On top of that, center Steven Adams, perhaps one of the players in the league that can handle Embiid’s physicality, will likely miss the game due to a toe injury. Nickeil Alexander-Walker (ankle) is also not available and Josh Hart is still out with a broken thumb.

One encouraging sign has been the recent play of Lonzo Ball, who led the team in scoring against the Warriors Tuesday, with 33 points to go along with six rebounds and four assists. He also drilled seven three-balls. Two games prior against Minnesota, he also dropped 33 points, including eight moneyballs, with 11 rebounds and eight dimes.

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What’s the Best Bet?

The 76ers are one of the true dominant teams at home, tied with Brooklyn for the most wins in the conference with 25. Anchored by Embiid, they boast one of the elite defenses in the NBA, holding teams to just 108.3 points a night, which ranks third. They limit opponents to 45.3% from the field, which is the fourth-best mark.

The Pels boast the sixth-best scoring average, putting up better than 115 a night on 48% shooting from the field, which ranks seventh. While it will be a compelling matchup, as two of the elite young stars in the league go head-to-head, there’s just too much missing from New Orleans’ roster to keep this from a double-digit loss, no matter how desperate NOLA’s playoff situation is.

The pick: 76ers -8.5 (-100)

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