The Philadelphia 76ers’ regular season is quickly winding down, and the playoff picture is nearly done being painted. Before the postseason heats up, the Sixers have two remaining regular-season games, which will be back-to-back matchups in Philly this weekend. The first game will be an afternoon matchup against the Indiana Pacers, whom the 76ers secured a 131-122 victory over earlier this week.
Who are the Pacers?
It has been a disappointing season for the Indiana Pacers, who are 25-55 on the year and sit in 13th place in the Eastern Conference. The highlight of the season has been the trade for 22-year-old Tyrese Haliburton, whom the Sixers were linked to quite heavily before the James Harden trade. Indiana has a fairly young squad and will be exciting to watch moving forward; however, they mostly have packed it in on this season.
Former Sixers’ fan-favorite TJ McConnell will make the trip back to Philadelphia and is certain to be welcomed with open arms. McConnell has missed most of the season due to a ligament issue in his wrist but made his return for the matchup against the Sixers earlier this week. Prior to this game, the guard had not played since December 1st.
Injury Report
Pacers:
- TJ Warren – Out (foot)
- Myles Turner – Out (foot)
- Ricky Rubio – Out (knee)
- Chris Duarte – Out (toe)
- Malcolm Brogdon – Questionable (back)
- Goga Bitadze – Questionable (foot)
- Jalen Smith – Questionable (left groin soreness)
76ers:
- Georges Niang- OUT (knee)
Perhaps the more noteworthy takeaway from the injury report is that neither James Harden nor Joel Embiid appears on it. It is the time of the season when teams tend to prioritize health and give guy nights off, but this does not appear to be the plan for either of the Sixers stars. The Sixers will have their final game of the season on Sunday, so it is very possible this game could be used for rest instead. It also is worth noting that LeBron James has officially been ruled out for the year, so Joel Embiid is
Georges Niang will be the only Sixers player unable to suit up as he has been diagnosed with patella tendinopathy in his left knee. This injury typically takes several weeks to completely heal; however, the most notable symptom is pain, so playing through it is not out of the question. The Minivan had some sort of wrap on the knee during the previous matchup with the Raptors, but the issue will hold him out of this game. This will be something to monitor in the playoffs as Niang has established himself as a valuable piece of the Sixers bench.
Playoff Standings Watch
With just two games remaining, the playoff picture is as clear as it has been to date. The Sixers are currently slated as the fourth seed and are very likely to match up with the Toronto Raptors in the opening round of the playoffs. If the Sixers win their final two games and the Celtics lose their final matchup, the Sixers could slide into the third spot and face the Bulls in the opening round as well.
The loss to the Raptors certainly took away the 76ers’ edge in terms of seeding, and at this point, they must simply control what they control. Heading into the postseason off back-to-back wins would help build some momentum, and that is when the real show will start. This is certainly possible as the Sixers are expected to be massive favorites in both matchups.
76ers/Pacers Betting Lines
Per Draft Kings, the Philadelphia 76ers are major favorites to win tonight’s matchup.
- Spread: 76ers -14
- 76ers Moneyline: -1000
- Pacers Moneyline: +650
- O/U: 235.5
