The Philadelphia 76ers (8-3) travel to Atlanta Friday night to take on the Atlanta Hawks (6-5) for an In-Season Tournament game. The Sixers will look to snap their two-game losing streak, while the Hawks will work to keep their record above .500.
Sixers vs. Hawks Betting Info
Spread: Sixers -1 | Hawks +1
Moneyline: Sixers -110 | Hawks -110
Total: 236.5
Sixers vs. Hawks Game Info
Date and time: Friday, November 17th, 7:30 pm EST
Location: State Farm Arena, Atlanta, Georgia
How to watch: Bally Sports, NBA TV, Fubo TV
Sixers vs. Hawks Injury Report
Sixers: OUT: Kelly Oubre Jr. (rib fracture), Nic Batum (personal reasons) QUESTIONABLE: Joel Embiid (L. hip)
Hawks: OUT: Kobe Bufkin (L. thumb), Mouhamed Gueye (back)
Probable Starting Lineups
Sixers: Tyrese Maxey, De’Anthony Melton, Robert Covington, Tobias Harris, Joel Embiid
Hawks: Trae Young, Dejounte Murray, Jalen Johnson, De’Andre Hunter, Clint Capela
Sixers vs. Hawks Game Preview
The Sixers have been shorthanded for a few games and may even be more so tonight with Joel Embiid—who is averaging 31 points and 10.9 rebounds per game—questionable to play. Still, the Sixers’ offense has looked strong with Tyrese Maxey at the helm, and if they can clean up a few mistakes on defense, they have a nice shot at coming away with a win.
First, the Sixers need to up their transition defense. A major reason why they lost to the Celtics at home on Wednesday was the team’s delay in getting back in transition, allowing multiple wide-open three-point shots. With Trae Young and Dejounte Murray on the court, the team needs to up their speed defensively. Jaden Springer can assist with this off the bench, as he did a nice job doing so against Boston.
Second, the Sixers need to capitalize on the dynamic offensive motion pattern they’ve established this season. While Clint Capela offers solid rim protection for Atlanta, the loss of John Collins has hurt them, and their defense has looked a bit out of sync.
Philadelphia can stay ahead by quickly setting screens on offense and making it difficult for Atlanta to account for shooters in transition. Tyrese Maxey, Tobias Harris, and De’Anthony Melton should all be taking multiple shots from beyond the arc tonight.
Finally, the Sixers must limit turnovers. This was another critical factor accounting for their loss against Boston, as the team turned the ball over a whopping 16 times. This is even more important if Paul Reed plays in Embiid’s stead, as the young backup is still working to maintain ball control. Dynamic passing and speedy transitions can help them do this and prevent the Hawks’ smaller guards from stealing the ball out from under them.
The Hawks have won their lone in-season tournament game, while the Sixers sit at 1-1 and will look to get back a winning record.
