Hopefully for the Sixers, the extra rest will have done them some good. Thanks to scheduling around the NBA Cup, the Sixers have been given four days off to rest, reset, and hopefully get a tad healthier following their 112-108 loss to the Lakers.
On Friday, they’re returning with a more favorable matchup: the 6-18 Pacers.
While Kelly Oubre Jr. and Trendon Watford both remain out, Joel Embiid (left knee injury recovery) and Tyrese Maxey (illness) are probable to play.
After such a thrilling run to the
Finals last season, the Pacers simply aren’t the same team this year. Tyrese Haliburton being out for the season with an Achilles tear has rid them of their typical up-tempo offensive identity, led by Haliburton’s dynamic scoring and playmaking. Along with other injuries and changes, like the departure of Myles Turner, Indiana has fallen from potential champion to 14th place in the East. Their offense in particular has plummeted, ranking just 28th.
A few others will be out for Indiana as well on Friday. Key players Obi Toppin (right foot stress fracture) and Aaron Nesmith (left knee MCL sprain) are both out for a significant time, while Ben Sheppard (left calf strain) and rookie Kam Jones (lower back stress reaction) are both out for Friday too. Quenton Jackson (right hamstring strain) is questionable.
The Pacers at least picked up four wins in their last six games before also entering a few days off, though. Their defense is starting to pick up (climbing to a more reasonable 19th), and a few guys are continuing to perform while Haliburton’s sidelined.
Pascal Siakam — the Pacers’ top option without Haliburton, with a team-high 24.5 points per game — is the biggest test for the Sixers’ defense in this one. Dominick Barlow has still been rock-solid for the Sixers, and it’ll be interesting to see how he (and Paul George) competes and uses his own size and agility against Siakam’s physical drives and strong face-up game.
Bennedict Mathurin has also continued the steady progression he’s been making throughout his career, and has stepped up in Haliburton’s absence this year. Mathurin’s putting up a career-high 21.5 points per game (second on the team while shooting far more threes than ever at 6.6 attempts at a 43.0 percent clip). Obviously it’s early in the season, but Mathurin’s career-high true shooting percentage of 62.3 is an impressive start given that he’s upped his usage and creating more for himself from both two and three-point range.
It’ll be fun to watch how Quentin Grimes and George match up against Mathurin, while VJ Edgecombe and Tyrese Maxey will need to focus more on Andrew Nembhard. The Pacers’ stand-in starting point guard is also having a career year with his extra playmaking duties, although his efficiency has understandably dipped with the responsibility of having to create more drives and mid-rangers for himself.
If Embiid does play, the Sixers could really do with him finding a bit of a groove. With only nine games under his belt so far and only a few solid performances, hopefully he can look a little more spry against the Pacers and bounce back from the 4-of-21 shooting night he had against the Lakers.
We could have a pretty fun center matchup of Embiid/Adem Bona and Andre Drummond against Jay Huff. The recently promoted starting center has been breaking out for the Pacers lately. Huff’s smoothly launching threes and frequently thwarting attempts and altering shots at the rim. In just 18.8 minutes a night, he’s averaging a league-leading 2.5 blocks per game.
While the Pacers have picked up a few more wins as of late, they’ve still come against largely weak opponents. This should be a matchup the Sixers can take advantage of. Even if there are question marks for the performance of Embiid and PG, Maxey alone could have a big enough scoring explosion in him to power past this Pacers squad. If the Sixers’ supporting cast turns in a solid effort, they keep Siakam in check, and the Sixers’ depth advantage gives them more firepower than the Pacers’ somewhat stretched backcourt, there’s a good chance to pick up a win here.
Game Details
When: Friday, December 12, 7:00 p.m. ET
Where: Xfinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia, PA
Watch: NBC Sports Philadelphia
Radio: 97.5 The Fanatic
Follow: @LibertyBallers
