The Sixers play host to the Nets and will look to even the season series at one game apiece while being undermanned.
HOME TEAM: Philadelphia 76ers (25-16, 18-2 at home)
The Philadelphia 76ers are continuing to trend down. They enter tomorrow’s contest having lost six of their last eight games while also failing to score more than 95 points in the two previous outings. Oh, and they are also without Joel Embiid for at least the next two weeks because of a hand injury.
If that’s not enough, Philly also got blown out during its meeting with the Brooklyn Nets last December 15th, 109-89, where the team turned the ball over 16 times and shot just 5-for-26 from three.
The one good reason to put some dough on the Sixers tomorrow, however, is they will be playing at home, and they have been consistently good whenever they are in there.
Tobias Harris (19.3 PPG), Ben Simmons (15.2 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 8.4 APG), and Josh Richardson (15.7 PPG) will be the primary weapons while Embiid is sidelined.
ROAD TEAM: Brooklyn Nets (18-21, 7-13 on the road)
Though finally healthy after months of being under the injury bug, the Nets are still in a bad shape. They are now losers in eight of their last 10 games and just fell victim to the Utah Jazz’s red-hot run on Wednesday, 118-107. That’s despite supposedly being energized by Kyrie Irving’s recent return.
Irving has looked efficient in his two games back, though, totaling 53 points in 52 minutes on an amazing 73.3% shooting. He should be able to continue leading the team in scoring moving forward
Spencer Dinwiddie led the Nets in the said win over the Sixers last month with 24 points and six assists. Joe Harris added 16 on 7-for-11 shooting, while DeAndre Jordan had 13 points and 11 rebounds in just 22 minutes of action.
The Nets defense have improved when compared to their struggles early in the season but it has returned to its awful form lately. They have now allowed six of their last eight opponents to score over 112 points.
PREDICTION:
The Sixers’ magic while at home will continue. They may struggle to contain Irving but in the end, they’ll beat the Nets, 116-110, courtesy of solid performances from Harris, Simmons, and Richardson.
