Embiid’s Status Uncertain as 76ers Visit Reeling Warriors
76ers vs Warriors Matchup Odds: Golden State Down to -3.5
The status of reigning NBA MVP Joel Embiid remains uncertain as the Philadelphia 76ers visit the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday (10 p.m. ET) for the second half of a back-to-back. Embiid, the league’s leading scorer, has missed the last two games due to a sore knee.
While Golden State opened as a 4.5-point favorite, that line quickly shrunk to -3.5. The Warriors are also -162 on the moneyline, with the 76ers priced at +136 to win outright. Meanwhile, the projected total is holding steady at 235.5.
Who has the edge? Read on as we break down both teams and assess the 76ers vs Warriors matchup oddsin our NBA game preview.
Philadelphia 76ers at Golden State Warriors 
Location: Chase Center; San Francisco
Day/Time:
Streaming: TNT
76ers vs Warriors Betting Trends
The Philadelphia 76ers are 28-17 ATS but have failed to cover in four of their last five games. They’re also 28-17 against the Over/Under, having gone Over the total at the second-highest rate (62.2%) in the NBA.
Meanwhile, the Golden State Warriors are 21-22 ATS, including just 10-15 at home. Golden State is the only team to hit the Over (62.8%) more often than Philadelphia.
Be sure to keep these trends in mind when assessing the 76ers vs Warriors matchup odds.
Embiid’s MVP Odds Dropping
The 76ers’ losing streak hit three after falling 130-104 to Portland on Monday. Philadelphia was favored by 5.5 but did not have reigning NBA MVP Joel Embiid, who missed his second straight game because of knee soreness.
The NBA’s leading scorer, Embiid (36.0 PPG) can miss only five more games before he loses his eligibility for MVP. As such, his odds of winning the league’s top award have slipped to +450.
He began the week at +220. Denver‘s Nikola Jokic (+115) and Oklahoma City‘s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (+350) are currently atop the board.
At 29-16, the 76ers are tied with New York for third in the Eastern Conference. Oddsmakers remain bullish on the 76ers, pricing them +500 in the conference and +1200 to win the NBA title. But their prospects will be largely dependent on Embiid, who has already missed 12 games.
Embiid is listed as questionable to play Tuesday. So, too, is star guard Tyrese Maxey, who missed Monday’s loss with an ankle injury. Guard Kelly Oubre Jr. led the 76ers with 25 points.
Philadelphia has failed to cover in four of its last five games but still owns the NBA’s third-best record ATS at 28-17. As an underdog, Philadelphia is 5-5 ATS and 2-8 OU. That’s important to remember when analyzing the 76ers vs Warriors matchup odds.
The Warriors have dropped two straight and four of their last five to fall to 19-24. They’re coming off a 145-144 double overtime loss to the Lakers on Saturday in which Steph Curry dropped 46 points.
Golden State’s NBA playoff standings is tenuous at best. It’s currently 12th in the Western Conference, 3.5 games behind 10th-place Utah. The Warriors are currently +320 to make the playoffs and +105 to participate in the postseason play-in tournament.
Whether they wind up cashing in on those odds may depend on how they approach next month’s trade deadline. Multiple players have been the subject of trade rumors, fueling speculation that management could look to break up the team’s championship core.
As it is, not much has gone right for Golden State. The Warriors, projected for 47.5 regular-season wins, will be without star guard Chris Paul indefinitely following hand surgery. They’re also missing key rotational pieces in Gary Payton II (hamstring) and Moses Moody (calf).
Golden State ranks eighth in the NBA in scoring (118.6) and third in 3-point rate (15.0/game), but on average allows the ninth-most points (119.0).
Notably, the Warriors have gone Over the total in seven of their last eight games and are 27-16 against the Over/Under. Nobody’s hit the Over (62.8%) at a higher rate.
Handicapping the 76ers vs Warriors Game
Will Embiid play? The status of the NBA points leader remains in flux. Perhaps that uncertainty explains why the Warriors, one of the league’s biggest disappointments, opened as 4.5-point favorites over a surefire playoff contender.
If Embiid does wind up playing, this spread will continue to shrink. Bettors could jump on it now and get the 76ers at +136 odds, but they always run the risk of Embiid — and possibly even Maxey — sitting out another game.
The 76ers wrap up their four-game West Coast swing on Thursday in Utah.
76ers vs Warriors Betting Odds
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