Atlanta Hawks (34-28) vs Philadelphia 76ers (40-21)
The Sixers, coming off a blowout win over the Thunder Monday, play host to the young-gun Atlanta Hawks Wednesday in what will be a pivotal game for both teams.
The Hawks suffered a disappointing defeat in their last outing, a 100-86 loss to the lowly Detroit Pistons.
Trae Young, De’Andre Hunter, and Cam Reddish were all inactive due to injury, and will likely be out once again when they travel to Philadelphia.
Atlanta is currently tied for fourth in the Eastern Conference at 34-28 and will need to keep winning if they are to avoid the dreaded play-in tournament.
The Sixers, meanwhile, are locked into one of the top three seeds, as they currently sit a game back of Brooklyn and 2.5 games ahead of Milwaukee.
They returned to full strength for Monday’s win over OKC, and will likely open as 8+ point favorites.
Both teams have been profitable against the spread (ATS), but I’ll take Philly to build upon their performance two nights ago en route to a double-digit victory.
The Pick: 76ers up to -9
Los Angeles Lakers (36-25) vs Washington Wizards (27-34)
The LakeShow has been treading water for the better part of a month, due in large part to the absences of LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
However, Davis returned to the lineup this past week, and finally got on track during Monday’s win over the Magic.
He went for 18 points and 8 rebounds in just his third game back, while five other Lakers chipped in with double-digit scoring.
The Wizards, on the other hand, are one of the hottest teams in basketball despite an overtime loss to the Spurs their last time out.
Currently just a game ahead of the Chicago Bulls and Toronto Raptors for that 10th and final playoff seed, they’ll need every game they can get if they’re to cling to their dire playoff hopes.
They’ve been largely a disappointment in 2021 but can salvage their season with a strong finish.
Given the urgency, I think the Wiz take care of business Wednesday — continuing their push towards a postseason berth.
The Pick: Washington Wizards up to -2
