The Sixers are counting on veteran George!
The home team has already secured a direct spot in the Western Conference playoffs, and the visitors are aiming for the same in the East.
However, in their case, it is not yet certain whether they will finish among the top six teams in the conference. Currently, the Sixers are in eighth place and would therefore have to settle for participating in the play-in tournament, where the remaining two playoff spots are decided among the teams ranked seventh through tenth.
The visitors, however, are in solid form, largely due to the return of Paul George. “Playoff P” has served his 25-game suspension and has made an impressive return to the court.
In the seven games since his comeback, the 35-year-old has only once failed to surpass his season scoring average of 17.8 points! Against this backdrop, a bet on the veteran scoring more than 16.5 points in the game between the Houston Rockets and Philadelphia 76ers seems advisable.
Furthermore, we expect the Sixers to take the court particularly motivated due to the tight standings in the East, and their recent successful run has also boosted Philly’s confidence. For this reason, the odds on the Houston Rockets vs. Philadelphia 76ers matchup also look favorable for the visitors not losing by more than four points!
Furthermore, the NBA prediction for a double-double by Joel Embiid for the visitors looks promising. The Cameroonian center has already recorded double-digit totals in both points and rebounds in each of the past two games. Embiid has clearly set his sights high for the end of the regular season, and when the “Big Man” is fit, he remains one of the top centers in the NBA.
Houston Rockets – Philadelphia 76ers Head-to-Head Record
The Texans and Sixers last faced off in January of this year in Philadelphia, with the 76ers securing a narrow 128-122 home victory. The win came only after overtime, and extra time has become the norm for this matchup.
The past three matchups didn’t produce a winner until after overtime! In those games, the Rockets came out on top twice. Additionally, the Pennsylvania-based team enjoys visiting Houston: they’ve won four of their past six road games at the Toyota Center, and the two losses during that stretch, as mentioned, came only after overtime.
Regardless, the betting odds for the upcoming matchup between the Houston Rockets and the Philadelphia 76ers point toward a home win.
Houston Rockets – Philadelphia 76ers Prediction
Paul George was selected tenth overall by the Indiana Pacers in 2010 and has made his mark on the NBA ever since. He won the Most Improved Player award in 2013 and has been named an All-Star no fewer than nine times.
Now, at 35, the forward is in the twilight of his career, but he clearly wants to prove himself once more.
After serving a 25-game suspension for taking a medication banned by the NBA’s anti-doping program, he recently returned to the court with great success.
Despite the long break, George was immediately “on fire” again, scoring 39 points against the Washington Wizards, among other highlights. On average, the veteran has scored 24.4 points in the seven games since his return.
For the Sixers, the outlook for the postseason is significantly improved with him on board. We expect him to deliver another strong performance in the away game in Texas and are betting on the Houston Rockets vs. Philadelphia 76ers odds for the Californian to score more than 16.5 points.
