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Sixers, Rockets & Clippers All See Midseason Win Totals Drop from Early Projections

Robert Duff

by Robert Duff in NBA Basketball

Updated Mar 31, 2021 · 9:52 AM PDT

Lou Williams with the Clippers
The offensive burden on Lou Williams is a lot lighter with Kawhi Leonard and Paul George joining the Clippers this year. (Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire)
  • Coming out of the NBA All-Star break, oddsmakers have dropped the season win totals for the Philadelphia 76ers, Los Angeles Clippers and Houston Rockets
  • Are each of these teams underperforming to this point in the season?
  • Check the analysis below to determine whether to play the over or under on each club

When the NBA season was about to start, the prognosis for the Sixers, Clippers and Rockets was promising. As the league sets to return from the All-Star break, it would appear that in each case, hope is being dialled back.

Oddsmakers have issued a new set of NBA season win props and for the Philadelphia 76ers, Los Angeles Clippers and Houston Rockets, there’s suddenly less optimism in the NBA win totals.

Where will each of these teams be when they cross the finish line? Not as far ahead of the game as originally projected by the sportsbook.

Sportsbooks have pegged the Sixers as the #2 team in the Eastern Conference, listing Philly’s win total at 55. The Clippers were tied for top spot in the Western Conference at 55.5 wins but quickly jumped to a projected win total of 58 by Nov. 28th.

The Rockets opened the campaign tied for third overall in the West, with an expected win total of 53.

2019-20 Updated NBA Win Total Odds

Team Win Total Over Odds Under Odds
Houston Rockets 52.5 -110 -110
Los Angeles Clippers 55.5 -110 -110
Philadelphia 76ers 52.5 -120 +100

Odds taken Feb. 18th.

Both Philly and Houston currently sit fifth in their respective conferences. The Clippers are third overall in the West.

Rockets Reversing In February

The good news if you’re the Rockets – they’re not the Houston team that was caught cheating (Astros). Nor are they the Houston team that blew a 24-0 lead in the playoffs (Texans).

The bad news is that they’re looking an awful lot like that Houston team that continually comes up short in the postseason.

Houston enjoyed a solid January. The Rockets were 14-7, their best month of the season in teams of winning percentage. But they’re just 6-4 in February.

The lead up to the break offered a microcosm of the inconsistencies that leave the Rockets fifth in the West. They posted impressive victories over the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics, two of the top five teams in the league. The Rockets beat the Lakers by 10 and the Celtics by 11.

They also lost at home by a point to the Utah Jazz (excusable) and by 36 points on the road to the lowly Phoenix Suns (inexcusable).

Following the decision to deal center Clint Capela to the Atlanta Hawks at the trade deadline, the Rockets are going with one of the smallest rosters in recent memory. Currently, 6-foot-5 power forward PJ Tucker is the starting center.

The team signed veteran forwards Jeff Green and DeMarre Carroll this week. Houston currently projects out to 52 wins. Getting adjusted to this reconfigured rotation could cost the team some wins in the short term.

Pick: Under 52.5 wins (-110).

Sixers Suffer Inconsistency

They’re up. They’re down. And they’re all around.

Following the bouncing ball that’s been the season for the Sixers could give a person vertigo.

Philly opened 5-0. Then the 76ers lost four in a row. They’ve put together four other stretches of at least four wins this season. The Sixers have also ensured three other skids of at least three games.

Philadelphia is truly a tale of two cities. The 76ers are an impressive 25-2 at home. But when they take their show on the road, they’re just 9-19.

The Sixers have one road win in 2019-20 against an above-.500 club. Three of their first four post-all-star break away games are at Milwaukee, followed by an LA swing to face the Clippers and Lakers.

Of their remaining 27 games, 13 are on the road. They’re currently on a 51-win pace.

Pick: Under 52.5 wins (+100)

Will Clippers Ever Be Healthy?

The fact of the matter is that no one can say with 100% certainty exactly how good the Clippers can be. When Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, the team’s prize offseason additions, are both on the floor, LA averages +9.6 points per 100 possessions.

The trouble is, Leonard and George have spent just 572 out of 2,655 minutes this season on the floor together.

George (hamstring) is again ailing. He’s missed 21 games and is currently listed as out indefinitely. Leonard has sat out 13 games due to load management issues.

Amazingly, they’re still on pace for 56 wins. But the Clippers lost three of four heading into the break.

They still must fill two roster spots following trade-deadline moves. There’s a lot of rotation adjustment in their immediate future. That can lead to much confusion.

Pick: Under 54 wins (-110).

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