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Gambling: Look for the Sixers to rebound in Game 2

The NBA playoffs continue with a handful of second-round matchups on Tuesday night. Despite there only being two games on the slate, there are plenty of things to keep an eye on from a betting perspective.

Let’s start with Game 2 of the series between the Philadelphia 76ers and Atlanta Hawks. Atlanta came away with a surprise victory over the weekend, as seemingly everything went well for it. The 76ers turned the ball over a whopping 19 times in Game 1, up from their season average of 14.3 per game. The Hawks also shot 43% from beyond the arc, up from their regular-season average of 37.3%.

And yet, Philadelphia still battled back and made it a game, losing by just four points. I expect things to normalize here in Game 2, allowing the 76ers to cover the spread, which opens up at five points.

Then there is the opening game of the series between the Utah Jazz and Los Angeles Clippers. Mike Conley is dealing with a hamstring strain and is questionable to play. If he is out, Joe Ingles becomes interesting, as we see him facilitate a lot more whenever either Conley or Donovan Mitchell is sidelined. With Conley off the floor this season, Ingles’ assist rate jumps up to a solid 18% mark, which means I’d look to take the over on his assist prop if Conley is indeed ruled out.

Finally, I like the over in the game between the 76ers and Hawks, which opened at 223 points. Philadelphia played poorly Sunday and still scored 124 points and while Atlanta won’t be as efficient as it was in Game 1, I just think that the 76ers will make up for it with much better play over the course of the entire game. Philadelphia actually leads all teams during the playoffs in pace and at home, where they have been the best team in the NBA.

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