NBA Wednesday: Nets vs 76ers — will Ben Simmons lead the Embiid-less Sixers to a hot start?

Nets (+7) @ Sixers (222)

Pick: Sixers First Half -4

Philly let its last two games slip away on the road in Indiana and Dallas. I’m betting on the Sixers coming out hot on their home floor, which has been very kind to them this season, and a little pissed off. Sooner or later, the Sixers are going to have to start ripping off stretches of seven wins in ten games and playing the full 48 minutes or they might not even have home court advantage in the first round of the playoffs. I doubt many fans thought the Sixers would be sitting in the sixth position in the Eastern Conference standings halfway through the season. But, that’s the reality of the situation they’ve put themselves in and I’m thinking that in front of a national audience tonight, the Sixers start hot at home. Ben Simmons was excellent against the Pacers on Monday in the first half but Josh Richardson was the only player for the Sixers that showed up after the intermission. Seven points is too step for me to lay with Philly right now for a full game line, but I do think they play with some good urgency early after two bad losses.