Philadelphia 76ers vs. Washington Wizards Betting Preview: Game 3
The Washington Wizards kept things close in game one of their Eastern Conference first-round series with the Philadelphia 76ers. But they were blown out in game two and picked up a key injury along the way. Now, at home, the Wizards will look to get themselves back into this series and pick up a victory in a must-win game three.
Philadelphia 76ers Betting Preview: Sixers Hoping to Avoid Extra Games
Things couldn’t have gone better for the Philadelphia 76ers in game two of this series against the Washington Wizards. They are getting contributions from their three core players along with their duo of outside shooters. But the Brooklyn Nets’ performance on Friday against the Boston Celtics in game three should serve as a cautionary tale for Philadelphia that they have to get the job done on the road as well.
The early rounds of the playoffs for high seeds are all about trying to play the fewest number of games possible. Ending series in four or five games rather than six or seven can help teams avoid fatigue later in the playoffs. To accomplish that feat, the Sixers will have to bring their best basketball to Washington, especially on the defensive end of the floor.
Washington Wizards Betting Preview: Wizards Hope Westbrook Is Healthy
Things did not go the way that the Washington Wizards had hoped in the first two games of this series with the Sixers. And they went from bad to worse late in game two, as Russell Westbrook tweaked his ankle and had to deal with a popcorn throwing controversy. But the Wizards will come into game three knowing that they can even this series up over the next few days if they can just take care of business at home.
In order to do that, the Wizards are going to need more from players who are not Russell Westbrook and Bradley Beal. Davis Bertans went scoreless in the second game of this series, which cannot happen given how impactful he can be from the outside. Washington will need players like him and Ish Smith to deliver at a higher level than they have been if they are going to have any chance of making this a competitive series.
76ers vs Wizards Betting Odds & Lines
Heading into this important game three, BetOnline has the 76ers as a six-point favorite over the Wizards. The line is about two points less than what it was for the first two games in Philadelphia and could have been even closer to the numbers for games one and two given the Westbrook injury situation.
Free Betting Pick
With Russell Westbrook’s ankle being at less than 100% for this contest, the Washington Wizards are going to have to find scoring and ball distribution from other sources. Unfortunately, outside of Bradley Beal, nobody has really shown that they can take the initiative on this team and create outside of Ish Smith. Expect the Sixers to come out hot and avoid the same fate that the Nets suffered in their game three.
- Spooky Express Free Pick: 76ers -6
