The Philadelphia 76ers are in San Antonio on Sunday night, looking to extend their winning streak to five games and try to close the gap between the team and the Heat and Pacers. The Spurs, while sitting at the bottom of the Western Conference, are coming off a win against the Pelicans on Friday night and are 5-5 over their last ten games.
Sixers game information
Who: Philadelphia 76ers (43-35) at San Antonio Spurs (19-58)
When: 7:00 pm EST
Where: Frost Bank Center, San Antonio TX
Watch: NBC Sports Philadelphia, NBA League Pass, Bally Sports Southwest
Sixers vs Spurs betting information
Spread: Sixers -6 | Spurs +6
Moneyline: Sixers -230 | Spurs +190
Total: Over/Under 227
Latest on the Sixers
The Sixers are in the midst of a four-game winnings streak, having beaten the Grizzlies 116-96 on Saturday night in Memphis. The return of Joel Embiid has been huge for the team, as they’ve won three games in a row since the return of the reigning league MVP.
Embiid is gearing up for the playoffs, trying to get in as many games as possible in order to be physically ready for an extended playoff run. Against the Grizzlies, he wasn’t needed much and finished with 30 points and 12 rebounds in just 23 minutes on the floor.
The Sixers didn’t need much at all to beat a Grizzlies team that’s been destroyed by injures this season. In addition to Embiid, Kelly Oubre Jr. had 17 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists as he’s shown that he deserves to be in the starting lineup over Tobias Harris as he provides more consistency and defense than Harris. Oubre has stepped up his game of late as the team has needed more from him and he’s shown that he’ll do whatever it takes to help his team win.
All-Star guard, Tyrese Maxey, had what would be an off night for him just scoring 7 points to go along with 5 assists in just 25 minutes of play. Maxey has shown that he has what it takes to not only compete in the league but to be a star this season. The Sixers didn’t need their young star to play extended minutes, as he has over the past several games, as the Grizzlies offered no much resistance.
Latest on the Spurs
The Spurs are coming off a 111-109 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday night, so they should be a little more rested than the Sixers, who played on Saturday night. The team took down the 7th seed in the Western Conference with seven players scoring in double figures, led by Devonté Graham’s 20 points and Victor Wembanyama‘s 17 points, 12 rebounds, and 9 assists. The Spurs have a good young team that should see vast improvements over the next few seasons, led by the amazing Wembanyama.
Wembanyama entered his first season in the league to high expectations and hasn’t disappointed in the least. He’s shown the ability to put the ball on the floor, shoot from range, and move well with other players in the NBA. He’s appeared in 68 of the Spurs games and is averaging 21.1 points, 10.6 rebounds, and 3.8 assists. He’s added 1.3 steals per game, and his 3.5 blocks per game are leading the league. The size of Wembanyama, combined with their athletic ability and defensive intelligence, has made him a nightmare for anyone around the basket.
In addition to Wembanyama, the Spurs have younger players like Devin Vassell and Jeremy Sochan, who’ve recently both been injured and are done for the season. Keldon Johnson has had a foot injury and is expected to play on Sunday night. The rest of the team will feature Zach Collins, Tre Jones, and Malaki Branham with Julian Champagnie and Sandro Mamukelashvili rounding out the starting lineup as the Spurs are finishing the season with a young but talented roster.
What to watch for tonight
With only Tobias Harris and Mo Bamba among the regulars to be listed on the injury report, in addition to long-term residents Robert Covington and De’Anthony Melton, the Sixers should be fairly healthy and could be looking at the return of Harris for Sunday’s game. The expectation is that Embiid may not play because he’s only appeared in three games since returning from a knee injury and back to back games may not be on the docket for now.
The Sixers will need more than just Tyrese Maxey and Kelly Oubre Jr. if they’re going to beat the Spurs on Sunday. Wembanyama presents a whole different level of defense, as he’s adept enough to get out toward the three-point line and has the size to contest most shots on the floor. Keeping him occupied on the defensive end is key if the Sixers are going to try to beat the Spurs, something that the Pelicans couldn’t do.
While it’s a good thing to see someone of the talent of Wembanyama and how your team stacks up against him and his young teammates, the Sixers are looking to cut down the space between themselves and the Heat and Pacers. Embiid may play a bit on Sunday just to ensure that the Sixers get moving in the right direction.
While there aren’t any players that can meet Wembanyama’s length, the Sixers have Embiid, who’s the most physically dominating player in the league. His height, weight, and basketball talent on both ends of the floor make him a nightmare for teams and, if playing, will give some lessons to the young rookie.
Prediction
Sixers 118 – Spurs 107
