Philadelphia 76ers Installed As The Favorites To Win Game 5 Over Boston Celtics

The Philadelphia 76ers are chasing NBA history. No NBA team has ever come back to win a best-of-seven series after being down 0-3, but after winning Game 4, the Sixers are hoping to break that glass ceiling.

Young talent was on full display when the Sixers worked to outlast (courtesy of Boston.com) the Boston Celtics for a 103-92 win in Game 4. It was a game that the Sixers had to have or else their NBA season would have been over. It has led some to believe that another victory is in store for the Sixers.

The mantra is one game at a time for Philadelphia. It is a bit of motivation that is used by most teams facing a 0-3 playoff deficit. Now that the Sixers have one game under their belts, a little bit of angst has been released. Early betting odds are suggesting that the Sixers will live to see a Game 6 as well.

According to Celtics’ Wire, the Philadelphia Sixers are listed as an early 1.5-point favorite to defeat the Boston Celtics in Game 5. If the Sixers can defeat the Celtics and stave off elimination for a second straight game, the series will swing back to Philadelphia for an all-important Game 6.

Getting a chance to defend their home court versus the Celtics may be enough to catapult the Sixers into a Game 7. The series between the two chief rivals have been evenly played despite the Celtics being ahead now 3-1.

Based on talent alone, the Sixers are better equipped to climb back into the series. The Sixers boast a combination of size with Ben Simmons, Dario Saric, and Joel Embiid and speed with J.J. Reddick and an emerging T.J. McConnell. If the Sixers get some form of contribution from Robert Covington and their bench, it is not out of the realm of possibility that they could push the Celtics to seven games.

In Game 3, the inexperience of the Philadelphia Sixers was on full display. Those things were cleaned up in the contest to follow. Winning Game 5 as the Sixers are favorited to do would give them some momentum as the series shifts back to their home floor.

The oddsmakers may be on to something by instilling the Philadelphia Sixers as favorites to push their series with the Boston Celtics to yet another game.