The Philadelphia 76ers are in New York to take on the Knicks, looking to extend their winning streak to three games. The Knicks will look to break a two-game losing streak and could be tired after playing two of the past three nights.
Joel Embiid is listed as "probable" and is expected to play in his third straight game this season, which is great for the Sixers and not so much for the rest of the Eastern Conference.
Who: Philadelphia 76ers (18-14) at New York Knicks (23-11)
When: 7:30 p.m. EST
Where: Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
Watch: NBC Sports Philadelphia, NBA League Pass, MSG Network
Tyrese Maxey has shown he's one of the top scorers and players in the league, while VJ Edgecombe continues to show why he was the third overall pick in the draft last summer and has endeared himself to fans more than anyone could have seen. Quentin Grimes looks to be getting out of his shooting slump, and Jared McCain is still a work in progress but improving after his knee and hand injuries.
The team has some successful two-way contract players, but is missing two key front-court players, yet they're in fifth place in the Eastern Conference.
When the Sixers signed Paul George, the vision was a trio of George, Maxey, and Embiid leading the team deep into the playoffs. That didn't happen last season, and for the start of this season, the hopes were not high. Then, Embiid, who's been playing just moderately compared to his past MVP self, sprains his ankle. It's happening again, everyone must have thought. But it hasn't, and Embiid, over his last seven games, is getting closer to his former self.
Over his last seven games, Embiid is averaging 32.7 minutes, 27.3 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 3.6 assists, while adding 1.3 blocks per game. Are those the numbers the fans and team have grown to expect? Absolutely not, but after years of injuries, the former MVP is getting closer, and he's not even needed like that anymore.
With the ascension of Maxey to star level, Edgecombe is stepping in and playing like he's mad at the league. The rest of the team is finding their roles, which are now contributing to success. Embiid has found his role, and with his improved health, it's going to be a problem for an Eastern Conference that's not very strong.
It's been how many years that the NBA has dreamed of the Knicks being great and winning titles? They're beating a dead horse by now. For all of the clips, headlines, and commentary that the team gets, you would think that they're undefeated and challenging the best regular-season record of all time. The truth is that they're a pretty good team in a conference that's basically filled with mid-level teams.
Joel Embiid, Paul George, and Tyrese Maxey are starting to look like the trio that Daryl Morey thought they would be when they signed George. While monitoring minutes and health will always be a concern, the fact that the Sixers plan to get to this place has seemingly worked and is a dream come true for the team and its fans.
It could develop quickly into a nightmare for the Eastern Conference. A healthy Embiid with a chip on his shoulder is not something anyone wants to see. With his newfound understanding of how the team is playing and operating, his buy-in to the new system is enormous, and head coach Nick Nurse is trying to find a way to appease all his stars without disrupting the flow. It's a challenging task for all of those involved, but especially of late, the vision is becoming more of a reality.
After you get through those three, you still have to account for the Edgecombe, on both sides of the ball, as he's been a menace to everyone he's faced of late. Quentin Grimes is looking to continue what he started against the Mavericks on New Year's Day, while shooting lights out, and the rest of the squad will show up to do their duty. Maxey, Edgecombe, and Embiid highlights will be abundant as the team looks to show the conference and league that they mean business now.
Sixers 128 - Knicks 121
