This is a possible NBA Finals preview, and if we get it, it will be a good preview.
I may not specifically sell James Harden as a 76er but they only lost to him 3 times in uniform. It was 10-3 SU and his numbers reflect that he has been a big part of that success. I still worry about their playoff quality defensively when it matters. Philly is only 0.5 ATS with Harden, so even though the team won the market was expected more.
It’s hard to expect more from the Sun. Phoenix is leading the NBA and has won a playoff spot. With a nine-game lead over Memphis in the Western Conference, it won’t be long until they lock in the top seed in the playoffs and that has left All-Star point guard Chris Paul missing a month before his return. field during their match. Last game in Denver. The Suns have won eight in a row and now that they have Paul back they will likely be motivated to play well in this declared match against a fellow championship contender.
Game Info
Philadelphia 76ers (46-27) vs Phoenix Suns (60-14)
Sunday, March 27, 2022
6:00 p.m. ET
Footprint Center, Phoenix, Arizona
Bally Sports Arizona
Betting odds
Spread: 76ers +4.5 (-110), Suns -4.5 (-110)
Total: 233
Cash Flow: 76ers +200, Suns -155
Best bet
Phoenix -4.5
These teams met in early February with Phoenix beating Philly by five points. It’s been a rare instance of the Suns being underrated this season but with the venue moving to Phoenix we now need the Suns to win by at least 5 more. At home, with this Suns team, it’s pretty good value.
The Suns mix well with everyone, but especially with the 76ers. At Deandre Ayton, they have a center that can make Embiid work at both ends and Mikal Bridges is probably the best perimeter defender in the league. He should be able to lock James Harden. While Harden will probably still get his points, his effectiveness may suffer. The 76ers need to win those positions by a big margin, and when they don’t, it’s very difficult for them to really compete with the best teams in the league, like Phoenix.
The Suns may have dropped 130 points at Denver but the 140 points they scored match a high season. I don’t think it was an accident that Paul returned to the squad. With his return, the offense should be a little easier for everyone on the team as everyone returns to their most comfortable roles. The strength of this team is not only elite players like Paul and Devin Booker, but also role players like Cam Payne and JaVale McGee, who eat out second unit players from other teams, often extend the lead number.
Phoenix is 30-8 SU at home this season. They are only 18-20 ATS at the Footprint Center even though they usually win by a margin. As the best team in the league, there are a lot of games that they are expected to win a lot. They’ve always managed the minutes well and that usually means that games they win by 17 points end up 11 points.
On Sunday, look for a tighter game, that’s where the Sun really excels. In March, they had 4 matches where the difference was less than 5 points. They are 3-1 SUATS in those competitions. Look for Phoenix to add another win to that record.
