Sixers-Pacers: What to Watch in Tonight’s Eastern Conference Clash

The last time these two teams met, we learned why Doc Rivers was an upgrade over Brett Brown. Back on January 31, the Pacers were dominating the Sixers, taking a 20 point lead, and had that with as little as eight minutes remaining. Doc Rivers made adjustments, putting the Sixers into a 2-3 defensive zone. Soon enough, the 76ers sparked a 21-2 run, winning the game 119-110.

Indiana now comes to Philadelphia in an attempt to right their wrongs. The Pacers (15-17) continue a four-game road trip as they visit Philadelphia (22-12) Monday night. Tip-Off is slated for 7 PM, with coverage on NBC Sports Philadelphia.

Injury Report

Sixers

Joel Embiid, Questionable, Left Ankle Soreness
Tobias Harris, Questionable, Right Knee Contusion

Pacers

Jeremy Lamb, Questionable, Knee
Malcolm Brogdon, Questionable, Knee
Caris LeVert, Out, Left Kidney Carcinoma
TJ Warren, Out, Foot

What to Watch

On the Pacers side of things, the player to watch, ironically enough, is TJ McConnell. The former 76er fan favorite played a career-high 46 minutes in their loss to the Knicks Saturday night. After most of their backcourt went down Saturday, McConnell picked up all of the slack.

For the 76ers, you’ll want to watch the whole power forward debacle. If Tobias Harris ends up being officially ruled out, look for the Sixers to start Furkan Korkmaz to get the start. With Isaiah Joe sent to the Blue Coats, Korkmaz will likely continue to get most minutes in these types of situations. Mike Scott also will need to make an impact off the bench when Tobias is unavailable.

Sixers Betting Info

The Sixers are currently five-point favorites, with the over/under sitting at 223.5.

The Pacers have lost their last two games in Philadelphia. Honestly, that’s probably the case for most teams as well. It’s no secret that the Sixers consistently find ways to win at home, and have done so for the past few years. If Joel Embiid is playing tonight, the Sixers will likely win and cover. Embiid has averaged nearly 30 points against Indiana in his career and averages 30 for the season.