Pacers vs. Sixers odds, line, spread: NBA picks, predictions, Joel Embiid status from model on 52-37 run

Two of the top four teams in the Eastern Conference will go head-to-head on Sunday afternoon when the 76ers play host to the Pacers for a 3:30 p.m. ET tipoff. Philadelphia is expected to have Joel Embiid back in the lineup after an eight-game absence and is a 5.5-point favorite, while the Over-Under is 221 in the latest Sixers vs. Pacers odds. Embiid is officially questionable for Sunday’s tilt. 

The two teams are separated by only one game in the standings, with Indiana currently occupying the No. 3 seed at 42-24 and Philadelphia at No. 4 with a 41-25 record. And with the top five teams in the East separating themselves from the rest of the pack, seeding will be the difference between a tough first-round playoff matchup and a cakewalk. So before you make your 76ers vs. Pacers picks, be sure to check out the predictions from the proven computer model at SportsLine.

This model, which simulates every game 10,000 times, is crushing its NBA picks. It entered Week 21 of the 2018-19 NBA season with a sterling 234-178 record on all top-rated picks, returning more than $4,000 to anybody following them. And it has been particularly red-hot on its A-rated NBA picks against the spread, entering Week 21 on a strong 52-37 run. Anybody who has followed it is way up.

Now, it has set its sights on Sixers vs. Pacers. We can tell you the model is leaning Over, and it also has a strong against the spread pick, saying one side cashes in over 50 percent of simulations. That one is available only at SportsLine. 

For Sunday’s contest, the model knows that Embiid’s return is likely to make a huge impact. Philadelphia went only 4-4 while he was held out with knee soreness and is 5-7 this season when Embiid doesn’t play. Comparatively, the Sixers are 36-18 when he is in the lineup. He’s the most important player in Philadelphia’s lineup for what he brings at both ends of the floor, and that was on full display the last time these two teams met on Jan. 17.

In that game, Embiid had 22 points, 13 rebounds, eight assists and three blocks in a dominant 120-96 victory in Indianapolis that put the Sixers ahead of the Pacers in the standings. Given how cautious the Sixers have been while resting him, you can expect him to be at close to full strength if he’s playing.

But just because Embiid is back doesn’t mean Philly will cover the Pacers vs. 76ers spread.

The model also knows the Pacers have seemed out of place with the Bucks, Celtics, Raptors and Sixers most of the season, yet they’re in the thick of the Eastern Conference race. They’ve done it despite the devastating loss of Victor Oladipo (torn quadriceps) because the Pacers are second in the NBA in points allowed (103.9) and defensive rating (105.7).

That defensive success is rooted in length and athleticism on the perimeter, while Myles Turner is an eraser at the rim. Turner is averaging 2.9 blocks per game and he’s always on the mind of Indiana’s opponents as they look to create off the drive. 

Who wins Sixers vs. Pacers? And which side of the spread can you bank on in over 50 percent of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to find out which side of the Sixers vs. Pacers spread you should be all over, all from the model that’s up more than $4,000 on NBA picks this season.