The No. 3 seed 76ers will try to take a commanding 3-0 series lead over the No. 6 seed Nets at 7:30 p.m. ET in Game 3 of the first round of the 2023 NBA playoffs. This first-round matchup heads to Brooklyn after the Sixers defeated the Nets 96-84 in Game 2 on Monday night.
Third-year guard Tyrese Maxey led the way for the Sixers, scoring a game-high 33 points on 13-of-23 shooting from the field and 6-of-13 from beyond the arc. Philadelphia needed this performance from Maxey as James Harden struggled to find his offense (eight points, seven assists, five rebounds, and four steals) after he had an incredible Game 1 performance. MVP candidate Joel Embiid also had a stellar outing with 20 points, 19 rebounds, and seven assists. Lastly, Tobias Harris shined again for the Sixers, with 20 points and 12 rebounds (seven defensive rebounds). The Sixers handled the Nets on the glass in Game 2 (56-33), helping them make a second-half comeback as they were down five points at halftime.
As for the Nets, Cameron Johnson and Mikal Bridges carried the Nets and gave Brooklyn a puncher's chance early in Game 2. Johnson scored 22 points in the first half and finished the game with 28 points (11-19 FG, 5-11 3pt) and four rebounds. Bridges added 21 points, a team-high seven assists, and five rebounds. If the Nets want to win Game 3 tonight, they need Bridges and Johnson to continue to play well but another scorer to step up (Spencer Dinwiddie, Seth Curry, etc.).
Will the Sixers go up 3-0 tonight and put the Nets on the brink of elimination, or will Brooklyn protect home court and push this series to another game? Below, we'll break down tonight's 76ers-Nets matchup, giving our prediction and best bets for the 2023 NBA Playoffs.
MORE ODDS: Spreads, moneylines, props, parlays -- get it all with BetMGM!
Sixers vs. Nets odds, picks, predictions
- Spread: Sixers -4.5 (-110); Nets +4.5 (-110)
- Over/Under: OVER 209.5 (-110); UNDER 209.5 (-110)
- Moneyline: Sixers -200; Nets +165
The Sixers couldn't duplicate their shooting performance from Game 1 on Monday night in Game 2, but they did enough to take a 2-0 series lead and put immense pressure on the Nets to win tonight. The public likes the Sixers to win in Game 3, as they are receiving 82 percent of the bets (81 percent of the handle) on the spread and 69 percent of the bets (87 percent of the handle) on the money line.
It's not hard to see why the public likes the Sixers. They're the better overall team and have survived Mikal Bridges going off in Game 1 and both Johnson and Bridges dropping 20-plus points each in Game 2. Under head coach Doc Rivers, Philadelphia is 2-0 in Game 3s in the first round (29-point win over Washington and three-point win over Toronto).
The Sixers are 23-18 against the spread on the road and 12-8 ATS as a road favorite this season. For Philly to win tonight, they will need a better performance from Harden, who didn't have the same rhythm and bounce in Game 2 that he had in Game 1. The Sixers will also take another 20-point effort from Harris, who scored 20 and 21 points in the first two games, respectively. Finally, Philly struggled from beyond the arc in Game 2 (31.4 percent), but that number should improve tonight. The Sixers shot 38.5 percent from the three-point range on the road during the regular season (best in the NBA).
As for Brooklyn, we know Bridges and Johnson will continue to play well, but who will be the third scoring option? Dinwiddie is averaging 13 points, 6.5 assists, and 3.5 rebounds per game through the first two games of this series. However, he's shooting 38.7 percent from the field and 25 percent from beyond the arc. During the regular season, Dinwiddie shot 43.8 percent from the field and 36.9 percent from three.
If he can get it going early tonight, it will help out Brooklyn a ton. The Nets would also like to Nic Claxton play better, who is only averaging 2.5 points and 8.0 rebounds in 25.5 minutes per game (two games). The Nets are 20-21 ATS at home this season and 5-8 ATS as home underdogs. However, it won't matter as Philly will make another second-half push and walk away with a 3-0 series lead.
Prediction: Sixers 105, Nets 98. The Sixers (-4.5) cover the spread, with the game going UNDER the total (209.5)
Best player prop bet for Sixers vs. Nets: Mikal Bridges OVER 4.5 rebounds (-110)
If the Nets want to keep the game close into the fourth quarter, they will need a better effort on the glass, as they got crushed in Game 2. One player who will be able to help in the rebounding department is Bridges, who has gone OVER 4.5 rebounds in Games 1 and 2. The former Villanova standout is the Nets' best player and can impact the game in multiple ways.
The Sixers allowed the fewest rebounds per game to SFs, which isn't great news for Bridges. However, the Nets aren't getting a lot of production from Claxton or others on the boards, so expect Bridges to continue to clean up on the glass.
