The Philadelphia 76ers (14-12) face off against the Golden State Warriors (21-4) Saturday night at the Wells Fargo Center. Joel Embiid and company are looking to bounce back after a serious beat down by the Utah Jazz this past Thursday.
The Sixers ended their matchup against the Jazz with a disappointing 118-96 and need to start building momentum before they fall through the cracks of a competitive Eastern Conference.
Player to Watch: Steph Curry
Steph Curry is looking to make history against the Sixers. The eldest Curry brother is only 10 3-pointers away from tying Ray Allen in the all-time record for threes made. Making 10 threes in one night is definitely a little far-fetched, but Curry is known to defy the odds, so we can’t completely rule this out.
Steph Curry is having a monster of a season this year. Averaging 27.5 PPG and 41.3%, there is no doubt that he is the favorite to win MVP at the end of this year.
Previous Matchup
The Sixers last squared up with the Warriors in November, where they fell to a 118-96 loss. The Sixers started the game strong with Seth Curry leading the team to a 16 point lead, something you don’t see from the mighty Warriors at home.
This lead did not stick, and Steph and his team came back with force, pulling away from the Sixers in the third and completely crushing them later in the fourth. The Embiid-less Sixers put up a hard fight, but in the end, it was no match for the MVP candidate and his hot hand.
Looking to this matchup, the Sixers need to pull up their bootstraps and get to work. Playing against the Warriors will be no easy task, as Steph Curry always finds a way to score, no matter who you put to guard him. Slowing him down and making him work hard for those shots will be key.
We also cannot forget that there is more to this Warriors team than Curry. Jordan Poole and Andrew Wiggins have also been balling out and getting their dues, with both averaging about 18 points per game. The Sixers should keep an eye not on just Curry’s hot hand but theirs as well.
Home Court Advantage
The Sixers have always been notorious for cleaning house when they play at home. In previous seasons, the Sixers held records for the most home wins, often going long stretches without a home loss, but this season looks a little different. The Sixers currently sit under .500 at home with a record of 5-6.
In this past game against Utah, the Sixers looked sluggish and had no fight besides Joel Embiid and a limited Tyrese Maxey. Playing at home, especially in front of passionate Sixers fans, usually does the trick to lift the spirits of this city’s players, but it has not been the remedy for the Sixers’ woes this year.
The Sixers take on the Warriors Saturday night in Philadelphia at 8:30 PM.
