BIG AL's LATE-BREAKING 76ERS/HAWKS WINNER!

At 1:05 pm, our selection is on the Philadelphia 76ers minus the points over Atlanta. Joel Embiid will play this afternoon, and that's all we need to pull the trigger on Philadelphia. The Sixers are the #1-seeded team in the Eastern Conference, and have been installed as a home favorite in this 2nd round game vs. Atlanta. Historically, #1-seeded teams have done great at home in the 2nd round of the playoffs when not favored by 12+ points against an opponent they defeated in the previous meeting. Since 1991, our #1-seeds have covered 71.8% of those games. And that's the situation here, as Philly took the last two meetings vs. the Hawks, by scores of 127-83 and 126-104. Indeed, over the last four seasons, the Sixers have won five of their six home games vs. the Hawks, with each victory coming by double-digits (the average margin of victory in those five games was 22.8 points). Atlanta is also 18-45 ATS its last 63 road playoff games where it was installed as an underdog of +2 or more points. Take Philadelphia. Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.