Sixers vs. Nets: Game preview & betting info

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Harden
Philadelphia 76ers’ James Harden, left, and Joel Embiid celebrate after a basket during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Los Angeles Clippers, Friday, Dec. 23, 2022, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

After sweeping a five-game Western Conference road trip, the Philadelphia 76ers return home to face Ben Simmons and the Brooklyn Nets. The Sixers have won 10 of their last 12 and currently find themselves in the second seed in the Eastern Conference, one game ahead of Brooklyn.

Sixers vs. Nets game info

Who: Nets (29-17) @ Sixers (30-16) 

When: Wednesday, Jan. 25 at 7:30 PM EST

Where: Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA

How to watch: ESPN and NBC Sports Philly

How to listen: 97.5 The Fanatic 

Latest with the Sixers

The Sixers are coming off a West Coast road trip sweep. Because of their recent streak, they’ve positioned themselves into second place in the Eastern Conference standings. The latest victory came at the expense of Sacramento.

In this game where Joel Embiid and James Harden did not play due to rest, Tyrese Maxey rose to the occasion along with other key role players. They walked away with a win against the Kings, 129-127.

This game saw a tale of two halves, where the Sixers were down big but climbed back in with great determination. They overcame a 21-point deficit by dominating points in the paint 70-56 and controlling the glass, securing 46 rebounds compared to Sacramento’s 29.

Tyrese Maxey supplied plenty of scoring with 32 points, while three Sixers, Tobias Harris, George’s Niang, and Montrezl Harrell, put up 17 points each.

According to Stathead, the Sixers’ recent road success marks the fifth-longest winning streak away from home in franchise history. Since December 2022, the 76ers have yet to lose a game outside of the Wells Fargo Center. That being said, the Sixers hold a home record of 17-7.

Since Dec. 12, the 76ers are scoring 118 points a game, which is the best in the Eastern Conference. Currently, they are the only team in the NBA shooting 48 percent from the field, 84 percent from the free throw line, and 37 percent from beyond the arc. 

Latest with the Nets

After a lengthy winning streak, things began to unravel for Brooklyn after Kevin Durant went down with an isolated MCL sprain of the right knee earlier this month. Things were going well for the Nets as they even had the Eastern Conference Coach of the Month in December, with Jacque Vaughn leading the way. 

After losing several in a row, the Nets are on a two-game winning streak. In their last 10 games, though, they are 5-5. They recently defeated the Warriors after completing their own West Coast road trip. 

In that game, Kyrie Irving scored 38 points and had nine assists. Nick Claxton had 24 points and a team-high 15 rebounds. Former Sixer, Ben Simmons, put up mediocre numbers in the contest, scoring seven points and grabbing three rebounds in 29 minutes. 

Last time they met

The last time the Sixers played Brooklyn, Philadelphia won 115-106. It was the first time Ben Simmons returned to Philadelphia in a Nets uniform, where he scored 11 points and dished out 11 assists. Kevin Durant scored 20 points in that game, while Kyrie Irving scored 23.

Joel Embiid did not play that night due to an injury. The leader for Philly that game was Tobias Harris, who put up 24 points and secured six rebounds. The second leading scorer for the Sixers was De’Anthony Melton, who scored 22 points.

The highlight of that game did not necessarily come from the players but from the fans. The arena filled with boos as Ben Simmons took the floor against the team that once drafted him and held high expectations, being the number one overall draft pick in the 2016 NBA Draft. 

What to expect 

With Joel Embiid listed as day-to-day because of a foot injury, it will be interesting to see how Brooklyn plays with a key injury of their own. Kevin Durant will not play this game, and Brooklyn will rely heavily on Kyrie Irving as their primary scorer.

If Joel Embiid does play, you can expect heightened drama because it would be the first time that the two former teammates square off against each other. Embiid, who is a top scorer in the league, continues to dominate his position and elevate his status as an NBA MVP candidate, while Ben Simmons continues to be on the decline in terms of production. Simmons is averaging only 7.5 points per game, along with 6.7 rebounds and 6.4 assists. 

Betting odds per MGM

Spread: Sixers -4.5 | Nets +4.5

Moneyline: Sixers -185 | Nets 155

Injury report

Joel Embiid — Questionable (foot)

Furkan Korkmaz — Out (shoulder)

Kevin Durant — Out (knee)