Philadelphia 76ers vs Oklahoma City Thunder Prediction & Betting Tips - NBA

Prediction published on 02/04/2024, 04:02  by Devesh Jaganath | Modified on 02/04/2024 at 05:02 in NBA Predictions

The Oklahoma City Thunder will travel to the Wells Fargo Center to take on the Philadelphia 76ers in the NBA on Tuesday night. The hosts are 40-35 and eighth in the Eastern Conference, while the visitors are 52-22 and lead the Western Conference standings. 

The Oklahoma City Thunder have secured their place in the postseason, joining the Nuggets as the only teams in the Western Conference to do so. They've been in excellent form, winning seven of their last nine games overall and are aiming for a third consecutive victory after defeating the Knicks in a thrilling 113-112 road win on Sunday. Jalen Williams led the charge with an impressive 33 points and eight assists on 14 of 18 shooting, while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander contributed 19 points. The Thunder currently rank third in the NBA in points per game (120.5), second in field goal percentage, and first in three-point percentage. Throughout the 2023-24 season, they've been scoring an average of 5.0 more points per game at home compared to on the road (122.9 at home, 117.9 on the road). Defensively, the Thunder are allowing 113.0 points per game, placing them 13th in the league. However, there's uncertainty surrounding Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's availability for this match due to a quadriceps injury.

The Philadelphia 76ers have slipped to eighth place in the Eastern Conference, undoubtedly feeling the absence of MVP candidate Joel Embiid, who has been sidelined since January 30th. However, there's positive speculation, as Adrian Wojnarowski reported that Embiid could make his return for this game, signalling an imminent comeback just in time for the playoffs. Even if he doesn't return for this particular match, the report suggests that his comeback is on the horizon. In Embiid's absence, the 76ers have struggled, losing five of their last seven games, but managed to break a three-game losing streak with a 135-120 road victory over the Raptors on Sunday. Philadelphia currently ranks 15th in scoring offense, averaging 114.4 points per game, which is only 1.4 points more than the typical points conceded by OKC. Defensively, they allow 112.2 points per game, placing them ninth overall. Notably, Robert Covington, De'Anthony Melton, and Tyrese Maxey are sidelined for this matchup, while Embiid's availability remains questionable.