NBA

Tonight in the NBA: Sixers face red-hot Suns, surging Knicks host Hawks

Joel Embiid
Joel Embiid
Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

With a whopping 12 games on the schedule, NBA bettors should prepare for a busy Wednesday evening in the Association.

The most highly anticipated matchup will reside in Philadelphia, where the 39-18 Sixers host the 41-16 Phoenix Suns.

At first and second in their respective conferences, this could very well be the NBA Finals preview no one is talking about.

Good for second in the NBA, the Suns are an impressive 35-21 against the spread (ATS) so far this season, while the Sixers, although not as gaudy, are profitable at 30-24

It is unclear whether Ben Simmons or Tobias Harris will be available Wednesday, which will loom large in determining where this line closes.

If both are active, I expect the Sixers to be modest home favorites, but if one or both sit, I could certainly see Philly taking on the underdog role.

Getting an edge on this number will be difficult, so it’d be wise to stay tuned for more information until backing a side in this one.

 

Go New York, Go New York, Go

Meanwhile, one of the surprises of the NBA season has seen the New York Knicks become a money-making machine in 2021.

They’re a league-best 36-21 against the spread (ATS) and will have another opportunity to solidify their standing in the Eastern Conference playoff picture with a win over the Atlanta Hawks.

Both teams are surprisingly right in the thick of the Eastern Conference playoff picture, as the Knicks are currently sixth in the East, while the Hawks are fourth.

The most noteworthy trend for Tuesday’s tilt resides in the first half, where the Knicks have covered eight of their last nine first-half spreads.

They’ve shown the propensity to jump on teams early, which I’m going to ride against a young and inexperienced Hawks group.

Julius Randle continues to play the best basketball of his career, and I worry his versatility will be too much to handle for an Atlanta team that doesn’t play much defense.

New York has been vastly undervalued by the market all season long, which I will happily ride again on Wednesday.

The Pick: New York Knicks 1H Spread, New York Knicks Full Game Spread