The Philadelphia 76ers will look to extend their winning streak to four games tonight as they take on the Detroit Pistons on the road. Read on to find out how to watch and what to look out for.
Sixers vs. Pistons Game Information
Date & Time: Wednesday, December 13, 7:00 PM EST
Location: Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, MI
How to Watch: NBC Sports Philadelphia
Sixers vs. Pistons Betting Info
Spread: Philadelphia 76ers -12 | Detroit Pistons +12
Moneyline: Philadelphia 76ers -675 | Detroit Pistons +490
Total: O/U 233
Sixers vs. Pistons Injury Report
Philadelphia 76ers: None
Detroit Pistons: OUT: Jalen Duran (ankle), Monte Morris (quad), Marvin Bagley III (back)
Sixers vs. Pistons Game Preview
On paper, this should be a contest the Sixers win easily. Detroit is currently on a record-setting 20-game losing slide and is a bottom-5 team in both offensive and defensive ratings. The team has not won a game since October 28th, and despite gaining a 16-point lead against Philadelphia in their last matchup, the Sixers rallied back to win by eight.
Philadelphia, on the other hand, is currently on a three-game win streak, with Joel Embiid once again leading the league in scoring with a whopping 33.4 points per game. Rising star Tyrese Maxey isn’t too far behind, at 11th in the league with 27 points (including 3.3 threes) per game. No other team has two players that high up in scoring, and with a top-10 defense, the Sixers have already proven themselves a formidable threat.
But none of that guarantees a win, and the Sixers themselves know they need to be at their best tonight. According to Ky Carlin of Sixers Wire, Nico Batum spoke openly about not letting your guard down against a team that’s struggling – especially given the extra motivation that often comes with being an underdog.
Indeed, while Detroit may be struggling, they have a strong cadre of young, athletic players who could outpace Philadelphia if they’re not careful. Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, Ausar Thompson, and Killian Hayes all have the potential to outrun the older Sixers – who notoriously have struggled in transition defense – and get wide-open shots.
This problem was evident in the Sixers’ underwhelming five-point win over the similarly struggling Washington Wizards last week. While Joel Embiid scored 50 points, the entire team was lagging on defense, with players like Tobias Harris and Marcus Morris frequently losing their targets and cutting in to stop shots too late. The Sixers will need to be more aware of their defensive struggles while playing tonight.
Moreover, this game is far from meaningless for Philadelphia. With their current win streak and their upcoming contests against the Charlotte Hornets, Chicago Bulls, and a second matchup against Detroit, the Sixers are arguably in the easiest seven-game stretch they’ll see all season. This is a critical opportunity to climb the Eastern Conference standings and gain home-court advantage during the playoffs. With a slew of strong opponents and a West Coast trek coming up in 2024, the Sixers need every win they can get right now.
