The New Orleans Pelicans host the Philadelphia 76ers in the first meeting between the two teams this year. Watch out for the two champions
The best team in the Western Conference (the New Orleans Pelicans, with 22 wins and 12 losses) against the player with the highest points average in the NBA (33.7), equal to Luka Doncic: Joel Embiid. A challenge not to be missed during the night, also for the fascinating face-to-face between two of the league’s most important personalities: the Cameroonian center and Zion Williamson, the Pelicans’ top scorer and fresh from 43 points scored against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Super Embiid, Pelicans on the strip
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New Orleans has an open streak of four consecutive victories, which came after as many defeats: beating San Antonio, Oklahoma, Indiana and precisely Minnesota. In the first three games of this mini-series, the Pelicans did without Zion, who made a great comeback in the narrow victory (119-118) against the Timberwolves: an average of 25.8 points per game for Williamson. On the other hand, Philadelphia ended its winning streak: after eight straight wins, the 76ers were defeated in Washington, 116-111, despite super Embiid’s 48 points. Philadelphia is fifth in the East, with 20 wins and 13 losses.
Prediction: Over 226.5 points
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An interesting challenge also because the third best offense in the NBA (117.8 points per game for the Pelicans) and the second best defense (the 76ers, with 108 points conceded per game) are facing each other. And they are respectively the third (New Orleans) and fourth (Philadelphia) best teams in the league for difference between points scored and conceded: +5.2 and +3.7. Considering the presence of the two phenomena and the excellent momentum of both, we can think of a game full of points: the Over 226.5 is given at 1.92 by 888Sport, 1.90 by Sisal, 1.88 by PlanetWin.
Embiid versus Williamson: the odds
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Attention then, of course, to the head-to-head between Embiid and Williamson. Who will score the most points? What do bookmakers say? Considering the numbers up to now, the bookmakers bet on the Philadelphia player: Over 31.5 at 1.90, there is also an Over 40.5 at 4.90. In the last three games, Joel had 44, 35 and 48 points. While Williamson is at 1.80 for the Over 26.5, with 4.60 for the Over 32.5.
The winner
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Great balance regarding the winner of the challenge. Pelicans are slightly favourites: the odds are 1.90 for Betfair, 1.85 for Sisal, 1.84 for Novibet. While the success of the 76ers is given 2.02 by PlanetWin, 2.00 by 888Sport and Bet365.
December 30 – 1.16pm
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