The Philadelphia 76ers look to cool down the red hot Denver Nuggets when two of the better teams in the NBA square off on Tuesday. The Sixers (32-14), who hold a one-game lead over the Brooklyn Nets in both the Atlantic Division and the Eastern Conference, have won four of the past five games. The Nuggets (28-18), who trail the first-place Utah Jazz by 6 ½ games in the Northwest Division, have won 11 of 14. The 76ers have won five of the last eight meetings with the Nuggets. Philadelphia is coming off a 122-112 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday, while Denver beat Atlanta 126-102 on Sunday.
The game from Ball Arena in Denver is scheduled for 9 p.m. ET. The 76ers are averaging 114.8 points per game, while the Nuggets average 115.8. Denver is a five-point favorite in the latest Sixers vs. Nuggets odds from William Hill Sportsbook, while the over-under for total points scored is set at 220. Before locking in any Nuggets vs. Sixers picks, be sure to see the NBA predictions and betting advice from SportsLine’s proven computer model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times, and it has returned more than $8,800 in profit on its top-rated NBA picks over the past two-plus seasons. The model is up more than $800 on its top-rated picks this season, and dating back to last year, it entered Week 15 of the 2020-21 NBA schedule on a stunning 93-59 roll on top-rated NBA picks against the spread. Anybody who has followed it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on 76ers vs. Nuggets. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Now, here are several NBA odds and betting trends for Nuggets vs. 76ers:
- 76ers vs. Nuggets spread: Nuggets -5
- 76ers vs. Nuggets over-under: 220 points
- 76ers vs. Nuggets money line: 76ers +185, Nuggets -215
- PHI: Has the second-best road record in the East at 13-10
- DEN: G Will Barton III has scored 20 or more points in four of the last 10 games
Featured Game | Denver Nuggets vs. Philadelphia 76ers
Why the Nuggets can cover
Denver has six players averaging in double figures, including Michael Porter Jr., who scored 15 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in 27 minutes of action against the Hawks on Sunday. He has recorded 19 or more points and grabbed eight rebounds or more in seven of the last 11 games. For the season, Porter is averaging 16.3 points, 7.4 rebounds and 0.9 assists per game. In Friday’s win over the Pelicans, Porter scored 25 points on 10 of 17 shooting, grabbed five rebounds and dished out two assists in 40 minutes of action.
Newly acquired power forward Aaron Gordon has already made a big impression with the Nuggets, scoring 13 points on 6 of 9 shooting, grabbing two rebounds and dishing out one assist in 21 minutes in his debut against the Hawks. He was acquired via trade on Thursday from Orlando. Gordon has scored in double figures 19 times this season, including 20 or more points four times and 30 or more points once. He recorded a triple-double on Jan. 18 at New York with 18 points, a career-high 17 rebounds and a season-high 10 assists. For the season, he is averaging 14.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and 4.1 assists.
Why the Sixers can cover
Despite that, Denver isn’t a lock to cover the 76ers vs. Nuggets spread. That’s because Philadelphia has also been hot, going 8-2 over its past 10 games. With center Joel Embiid out with a bone bruise in his knee, power forward Tobias Harris has picked up the slack and is averaging 20.9 points, 7.6 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game. He notched a game-high 29 points on 13 of 19 field goals, seven rebounds and a team-high six assists in Saturday’s 122-112 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers.
Also boosting the Philadelphia offense is point guard Ben Simmons, who is averaging 15.9 points, 7.9 rebounds, 7.5 assists and 1.5 steals per game. He hit 6 of 10 from the field, scoring 15 points and grabbing seven rebounds against the Clippers. He is the team leader in field goal percentage at 55.7 percent, ranking 14th in the league. Simmons is aiming for his third consecutive season shooting at least 55 percent from the field.
How to make Nuggets vs. Sixers picks
SportsLine’s model is leaning over on the total, projecting the teams to combine for 221 points. The model also says one side of the spread hits well over 50 percent of the time. You can get that pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Nuggets vs. Sixers? And which side of the spread hits well over 50 percent of the time? Visit SportsLine now to find out which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model that on a roll on NBA picks.