Sixers look for third straight win as Pacers come to town

The Philadelphia 76ers take on the Indiana Pacers in a Friday night matchup at home as they look to get their third win in a row. Having defeated the Magic and Bulls last week, the team will feature its three biggest stars together for just the second time all season, while the well-rested Pacers have won just once in their last five games.

Sixers game information

Who: Indiana Pacers (10-15) at Philadelphia 76ers (7-15)

When: 7 p.m. EST

Where: Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA

Watch: NBC Sports Philadelphia, NBA League Pass, Bally Sports Indiana/Midwest/South

Latest on the Sixers

Dec 8, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey (0) drives to the basket against Chicago Bulls guard Ayo Dosunmu (11) during the second half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

The Sixers will see if their starting trio of Joel Embiid, Paul George, and Tyrese Maxey can build upon their victory against the Bulls on Sunday. While the trio didn’t shoot very well, especially from beyond the three-point line, the team defeated the Bulls and gave them some hope moving forward.

With Embiid returning to the lineup and with no foreseeable changes to that, the Sixers can move forward as they initially planned over the summer when they brought in Paul George. Even on a very poor shooting night, the team was able to defeat the Bulls, and Embiid finished with 31 points and 12 rebounds, which is more along the lines of the former MVP’s usual performance.

The Sixers need to work on their shooting, in addition to getting Embiid and the team on the same page. Tyrese Maxey has had a horrible shooting start to the season, shooting just 40.6% from the field and 29.3% on his three-point attempts, and the rest of the team has seen their share of struggles as well.

With Embiid back in the fold and Paul George on the wing, Maxey should be able to see some better looks and get back into being one of the better three-point shooters on the team. So far this season, Maxey has been forcing way too many shots, and it shows. Things should be easier for the guard moving forward.

Latest on the Pacers

Oct 27, 2024; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Pacers forward Pascal Siakam (43) is defended by Philadelphia 76ers forward KJ Martin (1) during the second half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images

The Pacers will be just as rested as the Sixers will be, having last played on Sunday when they lost to the Charlotte Hornets, 113-109. The team is one of the better shooting teams in the league and the 11th-best in three-point shooting. While, on the surface, it would seem to put the Pacers in a good position to win games, that’s just not been the case this season.

While players like Pascal Siakam, Bennedict Mathurin, and Tyrese Haliburton are talented players, they’ve not been able to put away teams this season. On a night like they had Sunday, the Pacers were led by TJ McConnell with 30 points, but the top trio was just not there. They combined for 29 points on 11-28 shooting from the field and just 1-13 on their three-point attempts. The Pacers, while not loaded with talent, have a good team but they’ve yet to put it all together and grab some wins of late.

What to watch for tonight

Dec 8, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) looks to pass the ball against Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball (2) during the second half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

The second game in a row for the Sixers that will feature their big three on the floor and healthy. While just a few weeks ago, the season seemed to be slipping out of their hands, the return of Embiid will surely get the Sixers going. After the win on Sunday, the team enjoyed a few days off and could work on some of the issues they may have faced in the game against the Bulls. The key is to get them all on the same page as they move forward.

As Embiid goes, so does this Sixers team. It’s never going to be Maxey’s team or anyone else’s for that matter until Embiid is no longer playing and that’s not a bad thing if you consider that the Sixers win at an alarming rate when Embiid is on the floor. With the collection of talent that the Sixers front office has put together for the season, if they can remain healthy, the Sixers could quickly get towards the top of the standings in the Eastern Conference.

Tonight, the team has to work on getting Maxey better shots and with Embiid and George on the floor, that shouldn’t be a problem as the Pacers don’t have much in the way of answers for Embiid. If they can improve their ball movement and shooting, this game could get out of hand quickly. Look for the trio to work on their cohesiveness as they start moving up the ranks in the conference.