The Eastern Conference Play-In Tournament tips off Wednesday as the Philadelphia 76ers host the Orlando Magic (7:30 p.m. ET, Amazon Prime Video) at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
Both teams finished the regular season with identical 45-37 records, but Philadelphia secured the home-court advantage for this critical #7 vs. #8 matchup.
The 76ers face a significant challenge without superstar Joel Embiid, who remains sidelined following a recent emergency appendectomy.
In his absence, Philadelphia will lean heavily on All-Star Tyrese Maxey to carry the scoring load against a versatile Orlando defense.
The Magic arrive with a healthy core led by Paolo Banchero and Desmond Bane, both of whom have flourished as primary offensive creators this season.
Live NBA odds list the 76ers as narrow 2.5-point favorites despite their injury woes and an over/under of 222.5.
Professional bettors are all over this game as well, keeping oddsmakers on their toes heading into tonight's matchup.
NBA Odds, Magic vs. 76ers Spread Prediction
*Odds as of Wednesday morning
Fifty-two percent of spread tickets have come in on the 76ers to this point, so overall betting appears to be quite balanced.
