The grueling, 82-game regular season is over in the NBA, with the "second season" beginning in earnest this weekend. The 2023 NBA Playoffs get underway with four games on both Saturday and Sunday, and the first game on tap pits the No. 6 seed Brooklyn Nets against the No. 3 Philadelphia 76ers in an Eastern Conference clash. Game 1 will be hosted at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, with Joel Embiid and the 76ers boasting home-court advantage in the best-of-seven matchup. 

The 76ers enter as substantial betting favorites to advance after a 54-win regular season. Philadelphia began the 2022-23 campaign with considerable expectations after moves to bolster its depth with De'Anthony Melton and PJ Tucker. The 76ers are led by tangible star power in Joel Embiid and James Harden, with Embiid being one of the leading candidates for 2023 NBA MVP honors. After a 12-12 start to the season, the 76ers won at a 59-win pace over a four-month sample. 

On the other side, Brooklyn experienced a great deal of upheaval in the middle of the campaign. After kicking off the season with title aspirations, the Nets battled injury issues and eventually traded both Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, resetting the franchise on the fly. Brooklyn, led by trade acquisition Mikal Bridges, was able to maintain a solid position to earn the No. 6 seed with a 45-37 record. However, the overall baseline of the Nets is much less certain than it would be for a typical team after 82 games.

Below, we'll dig into the series from every angle, including a pick on the winner and a best bet on the series. As the seven-game matchup begins, the 76ers are -900 favorites ($900 to win $100) at Caesars Sportsbook, with the Nets listed at +600 ($100 to win $600) to pull the upset. Philadelphia is +450 to win the Eastern Conference this season and +950 to win the 2023 NBA title. Brooklyn is listed at +17500 to win the East and +35000 to win the championship.

Nets vs. 76ers full series odds

• Series winner: 76ers -900 | Nets +600
  
• Series handicap: 76ers -2.5 games (-140) | Nets +2.5 games (+110)
• Series alternate handicap: 76ers -1.5 games (-350) | Nets +1.5 games (+260)
• Total number of games: Five (+175) | Four (+250) | Six (+300) | Seven (+390)
• Exact finish: 76ers in 5 (+190) | 76ers in 4 (+260) | 76ers in 6 (+400) | 76ers in 7 (+425)  | Nets in 6 (+1200) | Nets in 7 (+1500) | Nets in 5 (+4000) | Nets in 4 (+8000)

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