76ers vs Clippers Odds, Picks, and Predictions Tonight: Zubac Zings Sixers Down Low

The Philadelphia 76ers continue to tread water without Joel Embiid as they try to stay alive for a chance at the NBA Playoffs. Having not had the All-Star since Jan. 30, Philly is going to have a tough time with a Los Angeles Clippers team hoping to compete for an NBA Championship.

The NBA odds favor the Clippers by 10 points at home and L.A.’s star-studded cast should be in for a big night. But it’s the unsung hero of its starting lineup who could turn out to have one of the bigger impacts against the Embiid-less 76ers.

Find out where my best bets lie in our NBA picks and predictions for 76ers vs. Clippers on Sunday, March 24.

76ers vs Clippers odds

76ers vs Clippers predictions

Without Joel Embiid, the Philadelphia 76ers have slowly seen their position in the Eastern Conference playoff race slip. Sitting as the No. 8 seed after losing 15 of their last 24 games, the 76ers are a shell of themselves without the reigning MVP.

Not only is Embiid leading the NBA in points (35.3) and PER (34.68), but he’s sixth in rebounds. Without his scoring prowess, coach Nick Nurse has leaned more heavily on All-Star guard Tyrese Maxey, who sits 14th in the NBA in points per game (25.8). However, there’s been an obvious presence missing down low.

Embiid was the anchor of Philly’s defense, averaging 1.8 blocks per game and 8.7 defensive rebounds. Without him, the 76ers have struggled to fill the gap and have seen their rebounding slip. Tobias Harris is the next-leading rebounder behind the seven-time All-Star with just 6.3 per game.

Nurse has relied on a platoon of Paul Reed and Mo Bamba at center, who combined for 9.7 rebounds per game, but they’re clearly not a long-term fix.

For now, Philly will need to continue to rely on their bench, and that’s going to be difficult against this Los Angeles Clippers team. While L.A. deploys several future Hall of Famers, its center Ivica Zubac who has an opportunity to turn in a strong afternoon against Philly.

Zubac may not get the headlines, but he’s an integral part of this team that has championship aspirations. Even if he doesn’t have a jaw-dropping performance in Embiid’s absence, he’s poised to rack up the rebounds and take advantage of a Philly team that’s struggled to pull down boards.

Without Embiid, the 76ers have slipped to 20th in the NBA in rebounds per game (42.6) and 26th in defensive rebounds (31.6). As a result, they’re allowing opponents to bring in the seventh-most rebounds per game (44.7) and the fourth-most offensive rebounds (11.1).

That opens the door for Zubac to clean up the glass and finish with at least 10 rebounds. The 27-year-old leads the Clippers in rebounds per game with 9.1 and is 25th in the league in contested rebound percentage among players who have played at least 40 games this season.

Zubac should be able to take advantage of a Philly team that’s allowing 14.13 rebounds per game to centers this year. 

My best bet: Ivica Zubac Over 9.5 rebounds (+105 at bet365)

76ers vs Clippers same-game parlay

Ivica Zubac Over 9.5 rebounds

Ivica Zubac Over 9.5 points

Tyrese Maxey Over 25.5 points

+475 at bet365

Zubac doesn’t just have a chance to show off his rebounding ability in this matchup, but he can add a little scoring into the mix as well. He’s averaging 11.3 points per game this season and is taking on a 76ers team that’s allowing the seventh-most points per game to centers this season (23.89).

The hole left by Embiid goes beyond issues defending centers, with Maxey having to take on a bigger role this season to help keep the Philadelphia offense firing. As a result, he’s averaging a career-high 25.8 points per game and has scored at least 27 in four of his last five games.

Maxey should be able to continue putting up impressive numbers against a Clippers defense that’s allowed the 10th-most points per game to point guards this season (25.17). He’s had at least 26 points 30 times in 61 games this season (49.1%).

Learn how to bet a same-game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.

76ers vs Clippers spread and Over/Under analysis

Down Embiid, the 76ers opened as a 9.5-point underdog against the Clippers. There’s been some slight line movement leading up to the game with most books now listing the Clippers at -10. 

Despite L.A. being one of the top contenders in the NBA, they’re just 34-35 ATS this season and 3-7 over the last 10 games. Philadelphia, on the other hand, has a respectable 37-33 record ATS and has managed to cover in three of its last four games.

Without Embiid, the game total opened as low as 215 and has dropped to 214.5 at some books. Both defenses rank Top 10 in points allowed per game. 

Few teams have been worse betting the Over this season than the Clippers at just 28-38-2, but they’ve hit it in six of their last nine games. While the 76ers are just 35-35 betting the Over, that ranks ninth-best in the NBA this season.

76ers vs Clippers betting trend to know

The Clippers have hit the Under in 36 of their last 64 games (+7.40 Units / 11% ROI). Find more NBA betting trends for 76ers vs. Clippers.

76ers vs Clippers game info

76ers vs Clippers latest injuries

Stay updated with the latest picks, odds, and news! Tap the to add us to your favorites on Google News to never miss a story.

Pages related to this topic