The Philadelphia 76ers are coming off two disappointing losses, with their postseason chances tanking. They’ll now look to stop the bleeding in what’s shaping up to be a true must-win game, traveling to Houston to take on the Rockets.
The Rockets, as many know at this point, have had what’s best described as a hot-and-cold season. They stand at 50 wins, which in itself is a legitimate accomplishment. However, the process behind their season has been questionable at best.
Head coach Ime Udoka has struggled
mightily with adjustments and making this roster work without a true, traditional point guard. There’s been a burner account scandal that may or may not be true, involving Kevin Durant allegedly trashing his teammates on Twitter, and the fact that neither the Rockets nor KD himself have outright denied it is eyebrow-raising, to say the least.
Then there’s been sporadic play from young superstar Alperen Sengun. Some nights he looks like baby Jokic. Other nights he looks lost, getting pick-and-rolled to death to the dismay of the coaching staff and teammates alike. Factor in the shaky shooting surrounding those two, and it’s a recipe for the Rockets losing games they simply should not have.
A lot of their 50 wins come down to two things: their talent and Durant. Despite the Twitter allegations, he’s been a marvel in his 18th year. He’s already played in 76 games and averaged 25.8 points, 5.7 rebounds and 4.7 assists on 51.7 percent shooting and 41.3 percent from three. His durability has been remarkable given his age, and the production has been rock solid for a guy approaching his forties.
The Rockets have also had contributions across the board, with young guys like Reed Sheppard, Amen Thompson and Jabari Smith Jr. all finding their respective ways. The issue isn’t the talent, but more so the questionable roster fit. There aren’t many playmakers or guys who can break down a defender off the dribble, which is what makes the Fred VanVleet injury so devastating.
It essentially becomes: let KD cook, and if he misses, pray for an offensive rebound. The Rockets have done well amassing center depth behind Sengun, but results can be inconsistent depending on the matchup.
So, why is this game so important? The standings race has heated up, with the Toronto Raptors winning a few games and leapfrogging the Sixers, who currently sit in the eighth spot. Other teams jockeying for position, particularly the Orlando Magic, have also won some major games which, factored in with their softer remaining schedule, means the Sixers essentially have to win out if they want to secure a playoff spot and stay out of the play-in tournament.
If the Sixers lose this game, it would skyrocket their chances of being in the play-in, as even if they win the final two games, it’s simply too much ground to make up in a very short remaining schedule. If they win, they’d put themselves in the driver’s seat and, barring an embarrassing defeat or two to a tanking team, make the playoffs.
Not to mention, there are implications with this game outside of the postseason picture. The Sixers own the Rockets pick from the Jared McCain deal, and a Sixers win would help keep that pick towards the lower twenties. The Lakers, Rockets and Cavaliers (via Atlanta) all currently sit at 50 wins, with the Knicks and Nuggets right behind at 51. A Rockets loss would help keep that pick closer to 21st overall, while a Rockets win would potentially nudge it closer to 25th.
Speaking of inconsistency, here come the Sixers. Their prior two losses have been winnable games that they simply haven’t been able to win. Tyrese Maxey in particular has put up two duds, being outplayed by Detroit’s Daniss Jenkins and posting what’s ultimately his worst game of the year against the Spurs. This is a get-right matchup where he has to be aggressive against a plethora of Houston defenders. He cannot have another scoreless half like he did in San Antonio.
Maxey wasn’t the sole reason they lost, however. Quentin Grimes has put up two stinkers, and is tanking his respective payday after his now-former agent negotiated him out of any deal. Grimes has Houston ties, so maybe that’ll incentivize him to get back on track with this game. The Rockets don’t have much true guard depth, and both Maxey and Grimes will simply have to be way better than what they’ve shown recently.
The one silver lining that might translate to this game is Joel Embiid, who was hands down the Sixers’ best player against Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs. Embiid posted 34 points, 12 rebounds and four blocks, and was the only reason the Sixers hung around as they did. Embiid had success against Sengun and the Rockets a few months ago when they played in Philly, and this shapes up to be a potential revenge game of sorts for Sengun. Either that, or Embiid makes Furkan Korkmaz’s offseason comments look even more goofy.
Heading into this game, Cam Payne and Johni Broome are the only Sixers listed, both out. Houston’s side of the injury report is relatively clean, with Steven Adams and Fred VanVleet remaining out with their respective injuries. More or less, this is shaping up to be a mostly healthy team vs. another mostly healthy team.
Out of all the games this season, this might be the biggest one where they have to come away with a victory. A win keeps their guaranteed postseason dreams alive and healthy, a loss essentially banishes them to the dreaded play-in tournament. We’ll have a better idea of where this team is headed soon enough.
Game Details
When: Thursday, April 9, 8:00 PM ET
Where: Toyota Center, Houston, TX
Watch: NBC Sports Philadelphia, Prime Video
Radio: 97.5 The Fanatic
Follow: @LibertyBallers
