Another day, another Philadelphia 76ers game.
The Sixers are back in action on Tuesday evening to host the Phoenix Suns less than 24 hours after defeating the Indiana Pacers. This is the eighth of an NBA-high
(tied with four other teams) 16 back-to-backs this season for the Sixers. So far this campaign, they are 5-2 in games on zero days rest. The Suns are also coming into Philly on the second leg of a back-to-back, having defeated the Brooklyn Nets in New York City last night.
You know what back-to-backs mean by now! No official injury reports until this afternoon.
Joel Embiid, after being listed as questionable throughout the day for left knee injury management and illness, ended up playing against the Pacers, putting up 30 points on 10-for-17 field goal shooting with nine rebounds in 33:18. Neither he nor Paul George have played a game on zero days rest so far this season, so one could guess that Embiid may not be available for Tuesday. PG, however, did not play on Monday night after being ruled out for left knee injury management. That leaves the door more open for him to be possibly available to take on the Suns.
For Phoenix, their only absence for their Monday contest was Jalen Green, out with a hamstring strain. Green was listed as questionable before that contest, however, which is notable as Green has been sidelined since early Nov. 2025 with a hamstring issue. He has played just two games this season for the Suns after being moved to Phoenix as part of the Kevin Durant trade, but is a career 20-point per game scorer in his previous four NBA seasons with the Houston Rockets. A return from Green could mean a big boost for the Suns’ offense. Phoenix coach Jordan Ott told reporters on Monday that Green being ruled out against the Nets was “just giving him the extra day” and that Green would make his return against the Sixers on Tuesday “if everything checks out.”
We will keep you posted on official availabilities when the teams’ injury reports are posted.
This is the Sixers’ first of two meetings with the Suns this season. Phoenix are led by franchise veteran Devin Booker, who is averaging 25.3 points, 6.4 assists and 4.1 rebounds per game in this his 11th NBA season. Dillon Brooks is right alongside Booker this year, averaging 20.9 points per contest and shooting 35.1 percent from three-point range on a 7.2 attempts per game clip. The Suns also have a decent supporting cast down the roster of players contributing well this season, including Grayson Allen, Collin Gillespie and 7-foot-1 Mark Williams. This squad, especially with the prospective addition of Green back in the mix, will be a formidable opponent for the Sixers.
The Suns come into Tuesday’s contest at 26-17, currently sitting in seventh in the Western Conference. They’ve won seven of their last ten games as they continue to battle for every inch of leverage in the conference, with just a game or less separating them from the three squads ahead of them, as of Tuesday morning.
This is game five of a six-game roadie for the Suns, and they’ll have some tired legs on top of that. The struggling Nets were able to keep things relatively close on Monday night against the Suns, so most of the Phoenix starters played a normal amount of minutes last night, ranging from 28 to 34.
The Sixers were in a similar boat against the Pacers in not pulling away until towards the very end of the contest, with the Philly starters logging anywhere from 24 minutes to 40 (Tyrese Maxey) on Monday. So, there may be some weariness on both sides tonight.
Maxey, by the way, had a stellar game last night to celebrate his first All-Star starter nod. He put up 29 points (14 in the fourth period to secure the win) on 12-for-24 field goal shooting with eight assists and a career-high eight steals. It was the perfect display of the guard not only continuing to develop offensively but also the massive leap his defense has taken this season.
The Sixers and Suns will tip off in South Philadelphia at 7 p.m. ET.
Game Details
When: Tuesday, January 20, 7:00 p.m. ET
Where: Xfinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia, PA
Watch: NBC Sports Philadelphia
Radio: 97.5 The Fanatic
Follow: @LibertyBallers
