7:05 pm
November 4

76ers @ Pistons

Who will WIN this matchup?

Philadelphia 76ers (6-2)

@ Detroit Pistons (1-6)

 

Current odds:

Philadelphia 76ers: (-180)

Detroit Pistons: (+160)

 

• The line for this game is 76ers by 4 points.

• It’s easy to see why the Detroit Pistons have gotten off to a poor start. They can’t put the ball through the hoop. Detroit is the only team shooting below 40 percent (39.4), and is even worse behind the 3-point arc (26.7 percent, also worst in the NBA).

• A rugged early schedule has contributed to that issue and it won’t get any easier in the short run, as the Pistons host Philadelphia on Thursday and Brooklyn on Friday — teams that sport a combined 11-5 record.

• The Sixers have already collected a victory over Detroit this season, a 110-102 triumph in Philadelphia last Thursday. The Pistons have only reached the 100-point mark in three of seven games, so it’s not surprising they’ve won just one game. They’ve been blown out in their last two games by the Nets (117-91) and Milwaukee Bucks (117-89). Milwaukee was playing without three starters on Tuesday but led from virtually start to finish.

• The Pistons can’t shoot much worse than they did against the makeshift Bucks. They shot 32.3 percent overall and made just eight of 47 3-point attempts.

• The top pick in the draft, Cade Cunningham, went 2-for-14 from the field in his second appearance of the season against the Bucks. He’s taken 14 3-point shots in those two games and missed them all.

• The Pistons will be facing a team missing some key players of its own. Ben Simmons still hasn’t played this season for the Sixers and it was announced on Wednesday that high-scoring forward Tobias Harris has tested positive for COVID-19. Philadelphia is also playing without starting wing Danny Green (left hamstring tightness).

• Despite those absences, the Sixers defeated Chicago 103-98 on Wednesday. Seth Curry had a team-high 22 points and Joel Embiid and reserve Georges Niang contributed 18 points apiece.

• Embiid made just one-third of his 18 field-goal tries and is 21-for-57 in his last four games. But he scored 30 points in 31 minutes during the Sixers’ win over the Pistons last week.

5/10
Confidence
StreakSmarter Pick
Philadelphia 76ers
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