The Sixers are home, for the second day in a row, to take on the Eastern Conference-leading Detroit Pistons after a huge victory over the Timberwolves, 115-103, on Friday night. The Pistons will be rested after having won over those same Timberwolves on Thursday night, 113-108, in Detroit, but will be without star Cade Cunningham.
Who: Detroit Pistons (56-21) at Philadelphia 76ers (43-34)
When: 7 p.m. EST
Where: XFinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia, PA.
Watch: NBC Sports Philadelphia, NBA League Pass
It wouldn't be Spring in Philadelphia without some sports drama. Joel Embiid voiced frustration on Friday night after the win, saying he was not the one who decided that he would sit against the Wizards on Wednesday. The situation is coming to a head at the wrong time for the center, who had seemingly taken control of his injury rehab earlier this year, but now feels the control of his status is out of his hands.
Embiid had 19 points, 13 rebounds, and seven assists against the Timberwolves, and he may still be feeling the effects of his illness; he shot poorly from the field and from three-point range. Meanwhile, teammates Paul George and Tyrese Maxey combined for 44 points, 12 rebounds, and 14 assists, suggesting both players are in great shape heading into the playoffs.
As coach Nick Nurse continues to tighten his rotation ahead of the playoffs, the Sixers have three very tough games over the next few days, starting with the Pistons, so each player will have to be at their best. With players like Kelly Oubre Jr. and Dominick Barlow picking up slack on the boards or scoring, the Sixers may have the best group, at its healthiest, that they've entered the playoffs with in years.
The Pistons are the top team in the Eastern Conference, as they've been the entire season, and they seem poised to make a long run in the NBA playoffs this year. They're also coming off a victory over the Timberwolves at home on Thursday, so they'll be a little bit rested when they take on the Sixers. What they won't have is their top player, Cade Cunningham.
Cunningham suffered a collapsed lung in the middle of March and is still out, at least for another week. For the season, he's led the team with 24.5 points per game, and his 9.9 assists per game rank second in the league, behind Nikola Jokic. Cunningham has shown he's the star of a top-level team, and his absence should be huge, except it hasn't been.
With players like Jalen Duren, Duncan Robincson, Ausar Thompson, Kevin Heurter, Isaiah Stewart, and Daniss Jenkins, the Pistons are as well-rounded a team as you'll find. They're eighth in the league in scoring at 117.5 points per game, but they hold the third-best defense, allowing just 109.6 points per game, and they're defending the three-point shot better than any other team, allowing the opposition to shoot just 34.5% per game. They're 11-4 over their last 15 games and should be getting their best player back for the playoffs, creating a real problem for anyone trying to take them down in their pursuit of an NBA championship.
With it being the second game of a back-to-back, the expectation is that Embiid won't be playing, although the Sixers haven't released an injury report as of this writing. With Andre Drummond and Adem Bona handling the center duties, the bulk of the offense has to come from VJ Edgecombe, Maxey, and George, who've all proven to be more than capable. Oubre Jr. and Barlow are going to have to play as well as they did last night if the team is going to steal a win from the Pistons.
The Sixers will look for a lot of ball movement as the Pistons defend the arc very well, but they'll also have to press on defense since the Pistons are toward the bottom of the league in three-point shooting. With the Sixers' trio of VJ, Maxey, and George interrupting passing lanes, pressuring on the defensive end, and getting to loose balls, they'll look to move in transition and could help put away the Pistons.
Highlights from Edgecombe and Maxey will be plenty, but the big ones will come from Paul George on both ends of the court. Steals and big shots are on the menu as the veteran tries to turn back the clock, entering the playoffs. Despite the play of their stars, this might not be enough as the Pistons are a very deep and talented team that's at least slightly more rested.
Pistons 126 - Sixers 101
