The NBA has eight games scheduled for today and many teams are jockeying for playoff positions including the Philadelphia 76ers when they host the San Antonio Spurs. BetOnline.com has the San Antonio Spurs -3 point favrorites against the Phildelphia 76ers with the over/under set at 178 points.

Much like the 76ers, rookie Thaddeus Young – the 12th-overall pick in this year's draft – wasn't expected to do much this season. But Young and the Sixers have surprised everyone lately; the 20-year-old's scoring average has improved every month this season, peaking in March at 14.3 points per game. As Young has improved, so have the 76ers.

Philadelphia has reeled off 13 wins in its past 17 games. The team has been victorious in five of its last six games, including Wednesday's impressive 83-82 win over the Detroit Pistons. The run has got Philadelphia back into the Eastern Conference playoff mix. While it won't likely knock off the Pistons or Boston Celtics in a seven-game series, it'll provide great experience for Young and fellow youngster Andre Iguodala.

San Antonio has one of the best defenses in the NBA and its one of the primary reasons the Spurs recently ripped off an 11-game winning streak. During that span the Spurs surrender 100 points or more in a game just once. Now San Antonio has lost three of its last four games and, not coincidentally, the team gave up more than 100 points in three of those games. The latest loss was a 100-75 blowout in New Orleans. The Spurs aren't in any trouble and the mini-slump was to be expected, but they can ill-afford a long winless drought – the Western Conference has too many teams good enough to leapfrog San Antonio and steal home-court advantage.

The Spurs already beat Philadelphia 89-82 in mid-January. This is a good game for them to snap out of their funk. Get your Free NBA Pick in Now!

San Antonio at Philadelphia, Saturday @ 7:00 p.m. ET

Free NBA Pick: San Antonio

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