Game Time: 8:00 PM ET, Wednesday, March 23rd, 2022 

Venue:  Crypto.com Arena

Where to Watch: TNT

DraftKings:  Spread:  Sixers -8; O/U 228.5

Fanduel:  Spread:  Sixers - 8; O/U 229

BetMGM:  Spread: Sixers -7.5; O/U 228.5

76ers: 44-27, 2nd place Eastern Conference

Lakers: 31-41, 9th place Eastern Conference

An NBA matchup of the 2nd place Eastern Conference team versus the 9th place Eastern Conference team… they just so happen to combine to have 5 of the best known basketball players on the planet.  Also everyone seems to be mad at them right now.  Seriously, both teams are drawing criticism, if not outright hate, for totally normal things.  The 76ers committed the ultimate sin in their last game against the Miami Heat… They rested their two star players!  Resting players is actually a very good strategy this time of the year in hopes that that rest will pay off during the Playoffs in health and energy… but the Heat are the #1 team.. So it was seen as disrespectful to rest for THAT game.  The 76ers that did take the court actually beat the #1 Miami Heat… so it is somehow seen as MORE disrespectful.  … You heard me.  The Philadelphia 76ers rested SG James Harden and C Joel Embiid and the remaining Sixers beat the #1 Miami Heat!  All they needed was a big game out of PG Tyrese Maxey and solid contributions from Shake Milton and Furkan Korkmaz… booth guards have taken a knock on their playing time since Harden’s arrival… so you see REST WORKS.  The Los Angeles Lakers also won their last game against a better team, the Cleveland Cavaliers.  Lakers star (who happens to be the greatest former Cavalier player ever) LeBron James had triple double with 38 POINTS, 10 rebounds, and 12 assists.  He royally screwed up during the press conference when he suggested he was “just having fun out there”.  Afterall the Lakers stink and everyone knows it so he shouldn’t be having any fun at all.  He should be crying every night when he leaves the court with a 38 point triple double… He should not be focused on the tiny things like becoming the oldest player to ever win the NBA scoring title (he is on his way)... He should not be focused on enjoying any part of the his 19th NBA season in what is shaping up to be the career of the greatest player of all time.  Fans and media know that basketball is about winning!... Not joy!  No one should be having fun!  No one should be loving life!... All kidding aside, LeBron has no control over Anthony Davis’s health.  People need to give the guy a break.

He is currently second all time in scoring in NBA history… and next season will surpass Kareem for all-time.  And over the next 3 seasons… he will put thousands of points between the all-time scoring record and what he finally leaves it at,  that every MJ lover out there will never see it broken in their lifetimes… Sorry Luka won’t do it, he likes Cheeseburgers too much.

The Philadelphia 76ers have won 6 of their last ten games.  They went 3-6-1 ATS during that stretch.  The combo of James Harden and Joel Embiid has been a sight to behold… really powerful stuff!  They are figuring it all out and are clearly the best team in the East if you count the solid contributions form the other starters: G Tyrese maxey, F Tobia Harris and F Matisse Thybulle.  Except fo tJoel Embiid this is a starting lineup that can slide over and p[lay the next man’s position… either guard can play point and each forward can play either forward spot.  The knock on them will be whether or not they get shooting off the bench after trading Seth Curry as part of the package that brought back Harden… But if the Miami game is an example, Shake Milton and Furkan Korkmaz can score plenty off the bench.

The Los Angeles Lakers have won just 4 of their last 10 games.  They went 4-5-1 ATS during that stretch.  The Laker defense is pitiful.  All four of the Laker wins needed a huge scoring outburst from 37 year old LeBron James to get… because they all were desperately high scoring affairs.  The Lakers have been a part of 7 Overs and 3 Unders over the last ten games. The 3 Unders were all games in which LeBron’s teammates (especially Russell Westbrook) had bad shooting nights.  The Lakers have no future wins if LeBron shuts it down… Yet the Laker fan base who think winning is everything want Lebron to shut it down to preserve him for a rebuild going into next season.  The fans are hoping that the team will find a taker for Russell Westbrook’s contract and that PF Anthony Davis will have some trade value… the answer is no to both.  They might find ways to move both those players but they will be getting very little back.  LeBron is already surrounded by very little… and the Lakers don’t have a 1st round draft pick until my 11 year old nephew gets his driver's license.  If you want to enjoy the Lakers game on TV or bet on the Lakers in any matchup… just remember that it will be for the sheer joy of watching LeBron and it will be a risky bet.

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Philadelphia is 44-27 on the season, but 34-35-2 ATS.  They have logged 31 Overs, 38 Unders, and 2 Push.  

The Lakers are 31-41 on the season, but 30-41-1 ATS.  They have notched 40 Overs, 31 Unders, and 1 Push.  They are 20-17 in home games

Philly is 21st in scoring with 108.5 ppg, 29th in rebounds with 42.2 per game, and 9th in AST/TO ratio with 1.9.  They are 7th in defense while holding opponents to 106.5 ppg.

The Lakers are 11th in scoring with 111.5 ppg, 21st in rebounds with 44.1 per game, and 23rd in AST/TO ratio with 1.6.  On defense they rank a terrible 26th while allowing 114.1 ppg from opponents.

Our prediction for Wednesday, March 23rd is…. 76ers 128 - Lakers 112

The Sixers will roll the Lakers.  The story is in the record.  After every win for LeBron and the Lakers since the all-star break, they followed it up with a big loss and a big loss ATS. Also Harden and Embiid are rested.  They literally sat out the last game and their team still got the win in against the #1 team in the East.

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Philly has had 14 Overs and 4 Unders as a road favorite this season.
The Lakers have had 20 Overs and 8 Unders in non-conference games this season.
Philly is 4-1 ATS versus the Lakers the last 3 seasons.

Sixers: No injuries to report

Lakers: PF Anthony Davis (ankle) Out ** PG Kendrick Nunn (ankle) Out ** SG Talen Horton Tucker (ankle) Quest

Sixers: PF Tobias Harris, SF Matisse Thybulle, PG Tyrese Maxey, SG James Harden, C Joel Embiid

Lakers: PF LeBron James, SF Wenyen Gabriel, C Dwight Howard, SG Russelll Westbrook, SG Austin Reeves

Sixers: Doc Rivers

Lakers: Frank “dead man walking” Vogel