Philadelphia at Charlotte

Philadelphia has spent the better part of this season in the epicenter of a storm that would knock a lot of teams to the mat, but they continue to trudge along at 12-11 SU. The five-game losing streak suffered mid-November caused a lot of bettors to write the Sixers off, but since then they are 4-3-1 ATS. Their offensive output is below average on the year, #19 in scoring (106.1), but shooting has improved and the Sixers are now hitting 35.7% from beyond the arc (#10). They catch Charlotte in a letdown spot off a 130-127 win in Atlanta yesterday that improved the Hornets to 14-11 on the year. The Hornets have played seven of their past eight on the road and this matchup hasn't treated them well. The past five years, the Sixers are 10-3-1 ATS vs. the Hornets, including a 5-0-1 ATS record in Charlotte. The short turnaround for Charlotte puts their D at a disadvantage tonight, and they already allow 115.9 points per game. With a couple days to prepare, look for the Sixers to control the tempo and wear Charlotte down. Lay the points with Philadelphia.