The Philadelphia 76ers face steeper NBA odds when they visit the Washington Wizards on Martin Luther King Day. Philadelphia has generally beaten up on Washington, but in its undermanned state, the Wizards could be looking at an upset. The latest news, stats, and injury reports have Washington as a slight underdog that could deliver.
Philadelphia 76ers (25-17) vs Washington Wizards (22-21)
Will Kyle Kuzma Carry Wizards?
Step aside, Bradley Beal. The Washington Wizards have found themselves a new star: Kyle Kuzma. The former Laker has not only been cracking jokes on social media but has also been balling out of his mind.
🤣🤣 @kylekuzma has jokes. The Wizards star is averaging 26-12-4 on 56% FG over his last 8 games. pic.twitter.com/VsQLNrITRg
— Ballsack Sports ® (@BallsackSports) January 14, 2022
In his last 10 games, Kuzma has put up 24.8 points and 11.2 rebounds and is shooting 52.7% from the field. Washington is 5-5 in this span but went 4-1 when he scored 25 or more points. The Wizards have hung around the playoff picture despite freefalling in recent months.
This is still a lottery team that is slightly overachieving. The Wizards are 23rd in the NBA in net rating, are 18-24-1 against the spread (ATS), and are 5-11 in games decided by ten or more points, the third-worst mark in the conference. Kuzma may be worth betting online on the player props but the Wizards will be a tough sell.
Embiid Needs Backup From 76ers
But if Washington can come through, it may be against a wounded team like the Philadelphia 76ers. The perennial playoff contender still has the juggernaut in the middle. Joel Embiid has hit the 30-point mark in 11 of his last 13 games. The Sixers won all but two games.
Embiid can’t do it all by himself. He’ll need some secondary scoring, which has been hard to come by with the likes of Shake Milton out. Tobias Harris has been inconsistent while the bench is averaging just 25.2 points, the second-lowest output in the NBA in the last 13 games.
Fortunately, the Sixers have begun restoring the lockdown defense that led them to the top of the conference last season. Philadelphia has ranked fourth in defensive rating in this span and if they can keep it up, they should continue delivering as chalk on the online sports betting lines.
Philadelphia 76ers vs Washington Wizards Head to Head
| Philadelphia | Stat | Washington |
| 9-1 | Record | 1-9 |
| 5-5-0 | Point Spread | 5-5-0 |
| 6-4-0 | Over/Under | 6-4-0 |
| 122.5 | Average Score | 108.8 |
| 65 | Half Time | 58.1 |
Philadelphia 76ers vs Washington Wizards Game Information
Date: January 17, 2022
Time: 2 p.m. PM ET
Location: Capital One Arena
Philadelphia 76ers vs Washington Wizards Live Stream: NBA Game Pass
Philadelphia 76ers vs Washington Wizards Betting Lines
| Philadelphia | Washington | |
| -155 | Moneyline | +125 |
| -3
(-110) |
Point Spread | +3
(-110) |
| 213
(-110o) |
Total | 213
(-110u) |
Philadelphia 76ers vs Washington Wizards Prediction
Philadelphia has been on a run, beating the Heat as an underdog and improving its record to 10-2 over the last dozen games. The Sixers have not dropped a road game since December 16 against Brooklyn. They are 7-0 and 6-1 ATS. Against the Wizards, Philadelphia is 10-1 in their last eleven meetings.
On the flip side, Washington is 0-6 in their last six spreads and 0-3 as an underdog. The stats are screaming for Philadelphia, but the Sixers will run out of gas in Washington with the early start. Washington starts fast, scoring the eighth-most first-quarter points, and will hold on for an upset.
Pick: Washington Wizards +140
As with most early games, bet on the under for this one. These teams will start sluggish as we could be in for some ugly basketball. Ignore the fact that five of Washington’s last seven home games have gone over.
