Despite newcomer Glenn Robinson III dropping a career-high 25 points, the Sixers fell to the Lakers Tuesday night. This made them losers of four of their last six and dropped to sixth in the Eastern Conference. The injury bug has bit the Sixers hard this season, now contributing to their ninth straight road loss.
Now, the Sixers will face another test Thursday night. For game three of four on their West coast trip, Philadelphia (37-25) will visit Sacramento to face the streaking Kings (27-34).
Coverage will begin at 9:30 p.m. with tip-off scheduled for 10 p.m. on NBC Sports Philadelphia. Radio coverage will be on 97.5 The Fanatic.
Because of all the chaos among the Sixers’ squad, Philly is a five-point underdog with an over/under set at 219.
Injury Report:
Sixers:
THREE STARTERS!
That’s all you need to know. The Sixers will continue to be down three starters again. Ben Simmons (back), Joel Embiid (shoulder), and Josh Richardson (concussion) are all ruled out for Thursday night’s game. In fact, all three of these guys are ruled out indefinitely.
Shake Milton, Al Horford (kinda), and Tobias Harris will be heavily relied on again.
Kings:
Former friend Richaun Holmes (shoulder) has been cleared for full contact but is ruled out against his former team. Cory Joseph (heel) is listed as probable, but will likely come off the bench for Sacramento. Starting point guard De’Aaron Fox is also probable with abdomen tightness.
Know Your Enemy:
Sacramento Kings
Over their last five games, the Kings have won four of them. Notably, their biggest win is against the Memphis Grizzlies, however, as all of their other wins came against teams currently missing the playoffs. Over their last ten, they’ve taken seven.
De’Aaron Fox has carried the Kings this season, averaging a team-high 20.4 points a night. Hopeful future Sixer, Buddy Hield, trails Fox by a thin margin, scoring just under 20 per night. Another guy who would look good in Philly is Bogdan Bogdanovic, who scored 17 against the Sixers in these teams’ first meeting. Over their key 7-3 stretch, these three have been key contributors that Brett Brown needs to shut down early in the game.
The Numbers:
- 108.7 PPG (23rd in NBA)
- 110.6 Points allowed (15th in NBA)
- 13.7 Turnovers per game (11th in NBA)
- Key player: De’Aaron Fox
- 2019-2020 season: 20.4 PPG, 4.0 REB, 6.7 AST
- Career vs. Philly: 12 PPG, missed game one this season
Prediction:
This is one of the toughest games to predict. This Philadelphia team is so hit or miss with their games anymore. But, they are on the road, without their three stars, and optimism is low in and out of the locker room. Missing their best defenders, the Sixers will rely on Al Horford to live up to his contract for one game, as well as Shake Milton’s quick feet to match Hield or Fox.
Sixers should take this one but in a very sloppy fashion. Philly avoids their tenth straight road loss, and win 104-97.
Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
