Sixers vs Thunder is going to be the matchup drawing plenty of attention this evening. The Sixers are scoring like the fanbase all know they’re able to and are red-hot at the moment. However, they shouldn’t overlook a young and hungry Thunder team.
Sixers vs Thunder game info
Who: Oklahoma City Thunder (18-23) at Philadelphia 76ers (25-15)
Where: Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, Pa.
When: 7:00 pm EST
Watch: NBC Sports Philadelphia
Sixers vs Thunder betting info
Spread: Sixers -9.5 | Thunder +9.5
Moneyline: Sixers -425 | Thunder +380
Total: Over/Under 223
For the Sixers:
While the Sixers have been hampered by injuries to major players throughout the season, they seem to be finding ways to victory. They’ve won 13 of their last 16 games including a 147-116 win over the Pistons on Tuesday night, sweeping the two-game series in the process.
No one could have foreseen Tuesday night’s outcome, scoring 147 points, with no one on the team playing more than 27 minutes in the game. Center Joel Embiid returned and put up 36 points and 11 rebounds in just 24 minutes. James Harden had his second triple-double in two games against the Pistons with 16 points, 12 rebounds, and 15 assists in just 26 minutes. Georges Niang was the only Sixer to not score and even Jaden Springer saw nine minutes and finished with 10 points.
It was a completely different team in terms of minutes and diversity of scoring. It’s something that the Sixers should be focused on going forward as the team showed that it does have quality depth and scoring at all levels.
For the Thunder:
The Thunder have won three of their last five games but lost 112-111 to the Miami Heat on Tuesday. That loss couldn’t really be blamed on the Thunder as the Heat set a new record going 40-40 from the free throw line, including 23-23 from Heat star Jimmy Butler who sealed the game with a foul shot, three-point play to give the Heat the victory.
Shai Gllgeous-Alexander had 26 points against the Heat and is currently the fifth leading scorer in the league at 35.7 points per game. Gilgeous-Alexander has become a true star for the young Thunder team and should be the face of the rebuilding franchise for the future.
Being paired with Josh Giddey and Luguentz Dort has helped to bring excitement to a franchise that’s been stuck for quite a few years now. As they go through their own “process”, the Thunder have quite a few pieces and a stockpile of draft picks to turn things around in the next few years. While that’s not going to be the case this season, the Thunder have an athletic and young team that could give a Sixers team some fits with movement, as quite a few of the Sixers have been injured and are returning.
What to expect in Sixers vs Thunder:
This should be another game that the Sixers win, but it can’t be a given, especially with the athleticism of a team like the Thunder. The key to the game for the Sixers is to get Embiid and Harden running their pick-and-roll game, providing the Thunder defense with a matchup it can’t defend.
The Sixers should they be able to rotate as they did on Tuesday and it could very well open up some ideas for the future if they’re able to be as efficient as they were against Detroit. While it will be an exciting game it shouldn’t be a hard one for the Sixers to walk away with a win from.
Prediction for Sixers vs Thunder: Sixers 128 – Thunder 115
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AP Photo/Gerald Herbert
