The Portland Trail Blazers (32-35) and Philadelphia 76ers (36-31) will meet in the NBA this evening. Tipoff is set for 6:00 p.m. ET from Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, Pa. The game will broadcast live on KUNP.
The Blazers are 7.5-point favorites over the 76ers on the spread (Trail Blazers -7.5), with the over/under set at 228.5 total points. Portland is a -305 favorite to win outright on the moneyline, while Philadelphia is +245 to pull off the upset.
Let's get into my Trail Blazers vs. 76ers predictions and NBA picks for Sunday, March 15.
Trail Blazers vs 76ers Prediction, Pick
- Trail Blazers vs 76ers pick: Deni Avdija Over 13.5 Rebounds + Assists (-112)
My 76ers vs. Trail Blazers is on Deni Avdija to combine for over 13.5 rebounds and assists in this game. Make sure to find the best odds by checking our live NBA odds page.
Trail Blazers vs 76ers Odds
| Trail Blazers Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-7.5 -110 | 228.5 -110o / -110u | -305 |
| 76ers Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+7.5 -110 | 228.5 -110o / -110u | +245 |
Trail Blazers vs 76ers NBA Preview
The Trail Blazers and 76ers will try to accomplish something neither team has done since February—string together back-to-back wins. Both teams enter the contest off home victories: Portland knocked off Utah 124-114, while Philadelphia defeated Brooklyn 104-97.
Portland does look the likelier of the two teams to put together a winning streak, considering it's up against a 76ers team dealing with multiple injuries to key players.
Starters Joel Embiid (oblique), Tyrese Maxey (finger), Paul George (suspension) and Kelly Oubre Jr. are all out, which explains why the Trail Blazers are laying as many as 7.5 points after opening at -4.5.
When these teams met last month in Portland, the 76ers were without Embiid and George and lost 135-118.
Therefore, it's difficult to envision a scenario in which Philadelphia is in an even better spot, especially since the team will be on short rest after playing on Saturday night.
However, it's worth noting that the Trail Blazers haven't done particularly well this season as a favorite in this price range. Portland is just 2-6 against the spread when laying 7.5 or more points and 0-2 in this spot as the visiting team.
Nonetheless, one can't overlook the injury crisis that's plaguing the 76ers at the moment. They failed to cover the 8.5-point spread as favorites against a Nets team that's managed just 17 wins on the campaign.
What I will say is I expect this game to feature plenty of back-and-forth action with both teams getting up and down the floor. The Trail Blazers play at the seventh-fastest pace, averaging 102.0 possessions per 48 minutes.
Both teams rank in the bottom half of the league defensively, and the total is 8-5 to the over this season when Philadelphia is on short rest.
Thus, if we get a high-scoring game between the two teams, we can find some correlation in the marketplace when deciding on our player props.
Trail Blazers vs 76ers Predictions, Betting Analysis
Portland's Deni Avdija is someone who ticks all the boxes for me in this matchup. The entire offense runs through the sixth-year forward, who leads the team in points (24.1) and assists (6.7). Avdija is also second on the team in rebounds with 6.9 per game.
The 6-foot-8 forward is always a threat to reach double figures in either category as his prop line of 13.5 rebounds + assists looks well within reach.
Philadelphia will have a massive void to fill at forward without George and Oubre, as their absences will put the onus on Dominick Barlow and Justin Edwards to slow Avdija down.
It's worth noting that both Barlow and Edwards entered the league as undrafted free agents, while Avdija was a lottery pick at No. 9. In other words, there are simply levels to this: Avdija should feast against this 76ers frontcourt.
Philadelphia ranks 23rd in assists allowed, and against the bottom-10 teams in this category, Avdija has covered the prop 13.5 rebounds + assists in eight straight games.
If we look at rebounding for both teams, Portland also has the edge, grabbing 45.8 per game compared to 43.0 for Philadelphia.
When you put it all together, Avdija is in a great spot to clear this line, with bet365 offering the best price at -112 odds.
Pick: Deni Avdija Over 13.5 Rebounds + Assists (-112, bet365)
Spread
I'm not taking either side of the spread.
Moneyline
I have no play on the moneyline.
Over/Under
My Trail Blazers vs. 76ers betting prediction is Deni Avdija over 13.5 rebounds plus assists.
