Philadelphia 76ers vs. Houston Rockets, 3/8/19 Predictions & Odds

76ers vs. Rockets Spread Prediction

A pair of contenders in opposing conferences will meet in Houston on Friday night when the Rockets host the 76ers at 8:00 p.m. ET. Listed as a 7-point home favorite, are the Rockets overvalued by oddsmakers tonight?

Game Snapshot

561 Philadelphia 76ers at 562 Houston Rockets

8:00 p.m. ET, Friday, March 8, 2019

Toyota Center, Houston, Texas

Our NBA Live Odds page pulls spreads and totals from multiple different online sportsbooks so you can compare betting odds to ensure you’re getting the best line.

Public Betting Trends

According to oddsmakers from online sportsbook BetNow.eu, the Rockets are 7-point favorites to beat the Sixers. The total, meanwhile, sits at N/A points and as of this writing, 62% of the public betting tickets wagered at online sportsbooks are on the Rockets to cover the point spread.

Philadelphia 76ers Fantasy Spin

Joel Embiid (sore left knee) will not play vs. Houston on Friday. Sixers coach Brett Brown telegraphed this decision by saying recently, "I am at a stage where if it requires more time, so be it. The end game is obvious. It is trying to deliver [Embiid] to the playoffs healthy." His absence once again means more minutes for Amir Johnson and Jonah Bolden, but the big winners are Philly's high-usage guys Ben Simmons, Jimmy Butler and Tobias Harris. The Sixers have been encouraged by his progress and haven't ruled out a return on Sunday, so hopefully the DNPs will end soon.

Houston Rockets Fantasy Spin

James Harden hit just 12-of-30 shots, 3-of-9 3-pointers and 8-of-8 free throws on his way to 35 points, one rebound, three assists and three steals in 37 minutes of Tuesday's 107-95 win over the Raptors. He only committed one turnover and played better in the second half, but his first half was a shooting struggle. The MVP Award seems to be shifting toward Giannis Antetokounmpo down the stretch, but then again, the Rockets have now rattled off six straight wins, as Harden has now scored at least 30 points in four straight games, including a 58-point performance on February 28. Despite some poor shooting lately, he's still putting up massive stat lines on a nightly basis, even when he's not clicking on all cylinders.

NBA Betting Trends

Philadelphia

The 76ers are a perfect 4-0 against the Rockets in the previous four meetings between these two teams.

Houston

The Rockets failed to cover the spread in five of their previous six home games.

Prediction

While the Rockets look to extend the NBA’s longest active winning streak to seven games tonight the Sixers will look to rebound from an ugly 108-107 loss to the Bulls on Wednesday night. Philadelphia blew a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter of that game and will be without Embiid again tonight. That said, the Sixers are 4-3 without Embiid and held the Rockets to 36 percent shooting from the field in their 121-93 home victory on January 21. With Houston rolling, Philadelphia coming off a loss and also without Embiid, the line looks inflated. I see plenty of value in taking the seven points with a team in the Sixers that has shown it has plenty of depth.

Friday NBA Prediction: Philadelphia 76ers +7