Sixers vs Wizards Free NBA Spread Prediction, 10–18–2017
Free NBA Pick and Prediction by Dennis Mathews of BetSheet.com
Philadelphia 76ers vs Washington Wizards
Free NBA Pick by: Dennis Mathews
Odds: Wizards -7, 217.5
Time: October 18th, 7 pm EST
Philadelphia 76ers
Trust the process. This has been the saying the Philadelphia 76ers have endured the past several years as they have suffered through a painstaking rebuilding stage. The time has finally come when the last four 1st round selections will all take the court: Jahlil Okafor, Joel Embid, Ben Simmons and Markelle Fultz.
Tonight, the Sixers face one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference, the Washington Wizards. Last season, Philadelphia missed the playoffs for the fifth straight year but on the bright side, their 28 wins were the most for the franchise since they went 34–48 in 2012–13. The 76ers struggled on the offensive end of the floor last season. The team was 25th in the league in scoring offense with 102.4 points per game. Philadelphia was 23rd in rebounding with 42.8 boards a night and 8th with 23.8 assists per contest.
The Sixers are undoubtedly a better team when Joel Embid is on the floor. His offensive skills are some of the best in the league for a man his size and his defensive presence can be a game changer. Ben Simmons will be a matchup nightmare for any team at 6'10" handling the ball at the point guard position. His passing skills are eye opening and he should be able to get to the rim at will. It will be interesting to see how this team meshes in the opening month of the season.
Washington Wizards
The Washington Wizards are coming off a 49-win season and have goals of pushing for an Eastern Conference title. For the most part, the Wizards are the same team they were a year ago, as John Wall and Bradley Beal create one of the best backcourts in the league and will continue to do the heavy lifting.
It was a quiet offseason for the Wizards, who brought in role players like Jodie Meeks (Magic), Mike Scott (Hawks) and Tim Frazier (Pelicans) to bolster their rotation. The Wizards were 5th in the league in scoring offense with 109.2 points per game. Washington was 22nd in the league on the glass with 42.9 boards per game. The Wizards stood 6th with 23.9 assists per game. Washington was 21st in the league as they allow 107.4 points per game on the year.
Washington was tied for 2nd in field goal percentage as the team shoots a collective 47.5 percent from the floor. The Wizards were tied for 16th in the league with 9.2 triples a night while ranking tied for 8th in three point shooting. Washington hit 37.2 percent from downtown.
Sixers vs Wizards Prediction
What is Dennis Mathews Predicting?
The Wizards were money in the bank last season SU and ATS. However, it’s concerning when Wall and Beal take a breather that their bench will lack depth. I think the Sixers feel they have a lot to prove and they finally have the young talent in place to compete in the Eastern Conference. It may take some time for this team to jell but I think they will come out with a young intensity that may be tough for the the Wizards to match in Game 1. Washington understands it’s a marathon, not a sprint so a Playoff like intensity might not be displayed from the Washington bench. I see this as a close game but I like the points in this matchup.
Free NBA Pick: Philadelphia 76ers +7
