Love Playing The Sixers
The Detroit Pistons have had plenty of success against the Philadelphia 76ers, but given their recent play, they aren’t likely to take Wednesday’s visit to the Wachovia Center lightly.
The Pistons (29-13) have the second-best record in the Eastern Conference, but go into Philadelphia having dropped six of their last nine games and three straight, including a 102-100 loss to the Orlando Magic on Monday. The loss ended a nine-game winning streak over Orlando, which included four playoff games last season.
Oddsmakers from SBG Global have made Detroit –6.5 point spread favorites (NBA Odds) for today’s game, the over/under has been set at 187.5 total points (Matchup). Our public betting information shows that 93% of bets for this game have been placed on Detroit –6.5 (View NBA Bet Percentages).
Detroit’s previous two losses came against struggling teams: a 97-81 loss at Chicago two days earlier and a 100-93 loss to the Sacramento Kings at home.
"Nothing is where it needs to be right now," Pistons guard Chauncey Billups said. "We are going through a rough patch. … We just have to stay poised and keep plugging away at it."
The Pistons, who are looking to avoid their first four-game losing streak since 2004-05, feel they can get things headed in the right direction, however.
Detroit had six players score in double figures in Monday’s loss, led by Richard Hamilton, who had 21 points on 8-of-17 shooting. Tayshaun Prince added 20 points and Rasheed Wallace had 15 points, 15 rebounds and five steals.
Billups, who finished with 18 points, hit a 3-pointer that made it 100-all with 3.6 seconds left, but Orlando’s Rashard Lewis hit the game-winner as time expired. Detroit trailed 55-49 at the half after committing 10 first-half turnovers.
Coach Flip Saunders said he isn’t overly concerned with the Pistons’ recent slump.
"There are a few things we didn’t do well from a standpoint of execution at times, but we’ll clean those things up," Saunders said. "It’s a long season and we’re finding some things out about all of our guys, which is good."
The Pistons will look to end their losing streak against a team they’ve dominated. Detroit beat Philadelphia 83-78 at the Palace of Auburn Hills on Nov. 23 for its seventh win in its last eight games against the 76ers (16-26).
Philadelphia also comes into Wednesday’s game in a bit of a slump. The Sixers have alternated between wins and losses in their last four games after dropping seven in a row to start January.
They lost 110-103 to the Indiana Pacers on Monday. Andre Iguodala scored 23 points and Andre Miller added 21 for Philadelphia, which gave up 63 points in the first half. The Sixers allowed the Pacers to shoot 51.9 percent from the field and go 14-of-25 from 3-point range.
Monday was just the fourth time in 21 games that Philadelphia has scored more than 100 points. The Sixers average 93.8 points per game and are among the five lowest scoring teams in the NBA.
"We need to do a better job as starters coming out and starting the game well," Sixers guard Willie Green said. "Once we got in the hole, it was like we were fighting the whole game."
Philadelphia has also lost four straight at home against Detroit.
By: Marc Young – theSpread.com – Email Us
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