76ers vs Wizards odds, prediction: Bet on Philadelphia to pick up fourth straight win

After a rocky 1-4 start to the season, the Philadelphia 76ers are in the midst of a three-game winning streak, the last two without star Joel Embiid, and face the Washington Wizards for the second time this week on Wednesday night.

The Sixers, who shot 55% from the field in their 118-111 Halloween win over the Wizards, led by Tyrese Maxey’s 28 points, look to repeat their performance with the status of Embiid still in question.

Meanwhile, the Wizards are losers of three straight, and are giving up 119 points per game during the streak. Here’s how we’re betting tonight’s game using the BetMGM market.

76ers -7.5 (at BetMGM)

The difference in the Wizards’ losing streak compared to the 76ers‘ winning streak boils down to one thing: getting stops on the defensive side of the ball.

For the Sixers, the improvement of their perimeter defense has been key. During the win streak, the 76ers have allowed teams to shoot just 43.4% from the field (31.5 from three), and are forcing 14.3 turnovers per game. During their slow start, teams were shooting over 48% from the field, with the Raptors, Spurs, and Celtics each shooting over 50% from the field in early-season losses.

» READ MORE: Tyrese Maxey's hot start has 76ers guard as co-favorite in Most Improved Player odds

Meanwhile, Wizards star Bradley Beal has struggled over the last two games, shooting under 40% from both the field and the three-point line. Kristaps Porzingis scored a game-high 32 points in their loss to the Sixers on Monday night, taking advantage of the size mismatch down low in Embiid’s absence, but the Wizards just had no answer defensively for the playmaking ability James Harden displayed.

Speaking of Harden, the former MVP is finding ways to keep his teammates involved, taking a backseat to the emergence of third-year guard Tyrese Maxey, who has scored 25 or more points in three of the last four games, including a career-high 44 last week. Harden is averaging over 10 assists per game in four wins this season, including tying a career high in assists in Monday’s win over the Wizards with 17, the 10th time he’s reached that mark in his career. It also helps that complimentary pieces P.J. Tucker and Tobias Harris are shooting well from beyond the arc during the streak.

It’s clear Doc Rivers’ message to his backcourt has been reflected on the court, with Maxey leading the 76ers in shot attempts in three of the last four games. The emphasis on his ability to attack the basket and the step forward in his perimeter shooting is a big driving force in the win streak.

The Wizards have failed to cover during their three-game losing streak, and five of seven games overall. Expect that trend to continue in tonight’s game as well.

» READ MORE: Sixers-Wizards takeaways: Pace improves without Joel Embiid, James Harden creates history, and more

The Inquirer is not an online gambling operator, or a gambling site. We provide this information about sports betting for entertainment purposes only.