Murphy’s Law seems to have struck the Philadelphia 76ers — everything that could go wrong for Joel Embiid and the team has done just that to start this season. In addition to Embiid missing the first six games due to his lingering knee issues, he was suspended three games for an altercation with a reporter, missed seven additional contests due to the knee, and most recently suffered a sinus fracture when he was hit by an elbow while going up for a rebound.
Philadelphia seemingly received some positive injury news regarding their superstar as Embiid was upgraded to questionable ahead of tonight’s matchup with the Hornets. It will be important to keep tabs on the injury report leading up to tip-off, and Embiid will likely be wearing a mask if he does play. He was a full participant in the past two days of practice which is a positive sign, and Embiid has played with a mask on two other occasions in his career already.
The sense of urgency within the Sixers organization has greatly increased due to their slow start to the season. To this point, the trio of Joel Embiid, Paul George, and Tyrese Maxey have only started and finished one game together. The Sixers hold a record of 8-16 on the season, but three of their wins have come against the Charlotte Hornets, whom they will be facing again tonight. The Hornets will be without LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller, so the opportunity is there for the Sixers, especially if Embiid can suit up.
The Sixers enter this game as 12.5-point favorites and hold -700 odds on the Moneyline. The Hornets hold +500 odds on the Moneyline on DraftKings Sportsbook and the game total is set at 214.
Keep tabs on the injury report until tip-off, but under the assumption Joel Embiid will play, here is an outlook for his top player prop.
Best Joel Embiid Prop Bets on DraftKings Sportsbook
Embiid’s props are listed at over/under 25.5 points, 9.5 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 1.5 made three-pointers, and 39.5 combined points, rebounds & assists.
Joel Embiid Over 4.5 Assists (+124)
While injuries have been the story of the season for Embiid to this point, the former MVP has not looked like himself when he has suited up. Through the six games he has played, Embiid is averaging 20.3 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game. He also is shooting just 41.1% from the field and 16% on three-point attempts.
While these numbers likely will normalize over a larger sample size, the former MVP has not passed the eye test when he has been on the floor. In his career, Embiid has averaged 27.8 points, 11.1 rebounds, and 3.6 assists. Before the knee injury shutting down his season last year, Embiid was averaging 34.7 points, 11.0 rebounds, and 5.6 assists per game.
This is a terrific get-right spot for Embiid and the Sixers as they face the Hornets without their top two players. While a stretch of high-level scoring is due to happen soon, I need to see it with Embiid before fully believing in the value of the scoring prop market. Instead, look for him to continue to progress in his ability as a passer and be more involved as a playmaker than in past seasons. The seven-time All-Star showed significant growth in this area last year, recording a career-high 5.6 assists per game, and has a more talented supporting cast to count on this season.
Looking at his assists output, Embiid has tallied five, two, five, two, four, and five assists across his six games of action. The most recent five-assist outing occurred in just 17:28 of game time against the Pacers before he left the matchup due to a sinus fracture. He recorded over 4.5 assists in 29 of the 39 games he played last season, too.
Both Tyrese Maxey and Paul George have seen some positive shooting regression in recent games and are playing like the All-Stars they have shown to be. Expect this to take some offensive responsibility off of Embiid’s shoulders and for the superstar to be more willing as a playmaker. Charlotte is limited at the center position and will likely throw multiple bodies at the Sixers big man. Expect Embiid to be comfortable passing out of these opportunities and for this to create shots for others.
It has been an uneasy start to the season, but the Sixers are looking to build as much chemistry as possible in the time they still have remaining. This starts with Embiid being on the floor with the rest of the roster around him. Expect the team to use tonight’s game as a huge chance to build up the offense as it was initially designed, which includes Embiid getting others involved. Look for him to tally at least five assists and for the Sixers to continue attempting to climb the Eastern Conference standings.
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I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is seanbarnard) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.
