Nets vs. Sixers March 10 NBA Betting Preview & Predictions

One of the most highly-anticipated matchups of the 2021-22 NBA regular season is slated for Thursday, March 10. The Philadelphia 76ers are slated to host the Brooklyn Nets, which means it’ll be James Harden’s first opportunity to face his old team.

Things have gone well for the 76ers since the trade, with Harden finding immediate chemistry with NBA MVP candidate Joel Embiid. Harden’s presence alone has opened up a lot more space for his teammates, leading to Philadelphia being the team to beat out East.

Meanwhile, the Nets have struggled to win games after trading away Harden for Ben Simmons. The latter still hasn’t played yet this season as he works to get in game shape.

Here’s a look at what’s been going right for Harden and Philadelphia so far, as well as a betting pick for the Nets vs 76ers matchup.

Brooklyn Nets vs. Philadelphia 76ers Matchup Info and Betting Odds

Nets vs. 76ers Matchup Info

• Game Matchup: Brooklyn Nets (33-33, 8th in Western Conference) vs Philadelphia 76ers (40-24, 3rd in Western Conference)
• Venue & Location: Wells Fargo Center (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
• Date: Thursday, March 10, 2022
• Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
• TV: TNT

Nets vs. 76ers Betting Odds

• Spread: Brooklyn Nets +4.5 (-110), Philadelphia 76ers -4.5 (-110)
• Total: OVER 229.5 (-110), UNDER 229.5 (-110)
• Moneyline: Brooklyn Nets +155, Philadelphia 76ers -190

Odds are via BetMGM.

Sixers Surging with Harden

Although it can take a player some time to get adjusted to a new team following a trade, that wasn’t the case for Harden. The former 2017-18 NBA MVP has found immediate chemistry with his teammates and the results are paying off for him and the team itself.

Before the trade, Harden had averaged 22.5 points, 8.0 rebounds and 10.2 assists with .414/.332/.869 shooting splits in 44 games with the Nets. Those aren’t bad stats for a majority of the league, however, it was clear that he wasn’t that great of a fit in the scheme that Brooklyn was rolling with.

Since the trade, the 10-time All-Star has looked like the Harden of all. While it’s a small sample size, his 24.6 PTS/7.6 REB/12.4 AST is the type of play that fans are more familiar with. His shooting splits have even gone up, with him averaging .531/.448/.894 in the five games that he’s played. Not only that but his true shooting percentage (TS%) with Philadelphia is currently sitting at .726.

It’s also hard not to see the impact that Harden’s been having on the 76ers’ success. Philadelphia is a perfect 5-0 with him in the lineup this season, averaging 125.4 points per game and never finishing with fewer than 120 points for during that span.

Not only has the offense been amazing but so has the defense. Opponents have averaged just 108.8 PPG against Philadelphia while Harden has been in the lineup. Considering how the 76ers have kept the opposition to fewer than 110 points in four of those contests, it’s safe to say that they’re happy with the improvements on both sides of the ball.

Harden’s Presence Has Helped Embiid

Even though Harden’s individual play has made 76ers management quite happy, he’s also impressed his own teammates — specifically Joel Embiid.

The 7-foot-tall center has raved about what it’s like to play with Harden. Embiid (and the rest of the Sixers) has praised Harden for his ability to find open teammates, saying that it’s something that he hasn’t experienced before.

“That was probably the most wide-open I’ve ever been in my career. I had a lot of easy baskets. I used to have to work for everything.” – Joel Embiid on his first game with James Harden

Embiid has been an NBA MVP candidate throughout the season due to him putting the 76ers on his back while Ben Simmons was holding out. A weight has since been lifted off his shoulders now that he’s playing with Harden, however, that doesn’t mean he still hasn’t been playing like one of the league’s top players.

Embiid is averaging 32.6 PTS/10.8 REB/3.4 AST in his five games playing alongside the three-time scoring champion. For reference, the 27-year-old big man was 29.4 PTS/11.3 REB/4.4 AST before Harden came to town, so it’s evident that the latter has had a positive impact on the former’s scoring ability.

At the end of the day, Embiid and Harden will give the opposition headaches for the remainder of the season. Before, Embiid was really the only major threat on the team. Now, opponents will have to predict whether Harden will:

1. Shoot the ball
2. Feed Embiid in the post
3. Pass to another teammate for an open shot

Assuming that Embiid and Harden’s chemistry only increases from here on out, the 76ers will be viewed as one of the top bets to win the 2021-22 NBA Championship.

Nets vs. 76ers Betting Predictions

Tonight’s game is a collision between teams heading in different directions. On one hand, the 76ers are 5-0 with Harden in the lineup and have an 8-2 record since the trade with Brooklyn. On the other hand, the Nets are 4-17 in their last 21 games and have fallen to a play-in spot in the Eastern Conference despite starting the year as one of the championship favorites

Having said that, it’s hard not to like the 76ers across all betting options tonight. They’re a more well-rounded team than the Nets and have actually been living up to their potential. Even though Brooklyn will have Kyrie Irving for this game, it’s still hard to have confidence in a team that’s struggling that badly.

Having said that, I like the 76ers as the 4.5-point favorite at -110 odds to cover the spread. That bodes well for Philadelphia who is not only 5-2 against the spread in its last seven games but also 7-0 straight up as the favorite in its last seven outings.

It could also be wise to take the over on the 229.5-point total. The total has hit the over in 11 of the Nets’ last 14 games, while it’s also done so in six of Philadelphia’s last nine matchups against Brooklyn. With so many stars in attendance, fireworks are always a possibility.