The Philadelphia 76ers look to keep their winning ways going against the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday night. They are coming off a 115-105 win over the Indiana Pacers on Friday night. Meanwhile, the Hawks are trying to bounce back from a blowout loss to the Detroit Pistons, where they gave up 142 points.
Who: Philadelphia 76ers (14-10) at Atlanta Hawks (14-12)
When: 6:00 p.m. EST
Where: State Farm Arena, Atlanta, GA
Watch: NBA League Pass
Tyrese Maxey is likely to miss his second straight game due to illness, as he is doubtful on the latest NBA injury report. Joel Embiid is also listed as questionable for left knee recovery after Friday night’s vintage performance against the Pacers, where he scored 39 points. Embiid said postgame that he would push to play on one day’s rest, but as of right now, he has been playing on two days' rest.
If the team is missing both Maxey and Embiid, the Sixers will have to lean on Paul George, VJ Edgecombe, Quentin Grimes, and Jared McCain for scoring. It will be interesting to watch to see how Jared McCain can increase his minutes in the rotation for the Sixers, as his minutes have been inconsistent thus far this season. Philly will really need him to score tonight and space the floor for players like George and Edgecombe.
The Hawks are athletic, so the presence of two-way player Dominick Barlow and Jabari Walker will be crucial for the Sixers in this matchup. They must stop the Hawks from getting second-chance opportunities, and the coaches will likely trust one of them to take on the challenge of guarding Atlanta’s Jalen Johnson.
The Hawks will once again be without Trae Young and Kristaps Porzingis as they face off against the Sixers for a second time this season. The Hawks have stayed afloat during Young's indefinite absence, thanks to the magnificent play of Jalen Johnson. He scored 41 points, grabbed 14 rebounds, and dished out seven assists the last time these teams met, and he is coming off three straight triple-doubles.
Keeping him in check, along with the Nickeil Alexander-Walker, will be the key to the Sixers getting consecutive victories and a season high five games over .500.
