The Philadelphia 76ers are back in Los Angeles, this time to take on the Lakers as they hit the midway point of their western road trip. The Sixers won both games since heading out west and are riding high on a five-game winning streak, while the Lakers have been visiting teams around the country for eight games now and finally return home after blowing out the Nets in Brooklyn on Tuesday night.
Who: Philadelphia 76ers (29-21) at Los Angeles Lakers (30-19)
When: 10:00 p.m. EST
Where: Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, Ca.
Watch: NBC Sports Philadelphia, NBA League Pass, Spectrum SportsNet
The Sixers look to build on their recent success, with Joel Embiid listed as questionable for tonight's contest. Embiid, who's been playing more than ever of late, should play, as he missed Tuesday's game against the Warriors, which the Sixers won 113-94.
The team beat up on the Warriors despite missing Embiid and Paul George, who is three games into his 25-game suspension, with each player who played at least 10 minutes scoring in double figures. Rookie VJ Edgecombe has continued to impress not just the Sixers but the entire league, leading the way with 25 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists. On an off night of shooting for Maxey, the team rallied around each other, contributing to the win.
With the trade deadline at 3:00 p.m. EST today, the Sixers should have a clear picture of what the roster will look like for the remainder of the season and, hopefully, into the playoffs. While Jared McCain has been shipped off to the Thunder, there's no telling who may be on the team come tipoff.
The Lakers are returning home for the first time in almost three weeks after spending their past eight games on the road. The road trip has been successful, going 5-3, but not particularly positive as they look toward the playoffs. With wins over the Nets, Bulls, Wizards, Nuggets, and Mavericks, they're not really beating the best of the best. Meanwhile, their losses came at the hands of the Clippers, Knicks, and Cavaliers.
LeBron James, in his age-41 season, is still contributing, averaging 22.0 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 6.6 assists, while playing 33 minutes per game. The difference this season is that he's behind Luka Doncic in the pecking order now, and Austin Reaves is also contributing in a large capacity. Doncic is having another monster season with 33.4 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 8.7 assists per game, while Reaves is scoring at 26.1 points per game to go along with 5.2 rebounds and 6.0 assists per game.
While the Lakers have had success, especially of late, their 30-19 record is only good enough for sixth place in a tough Western Conference, and it will only get harder as the season goes on. Despite having last played on Tuesday, the long trip across the country could weigh heavily on a team that's been playing a lot of ball over the past two weeks.
Embiid, Maxey, Edgecombe, Doncic, and James should be enough reason to tune in for tonight. If Embiid plays, the Lakers will have their hands full, and the Sixers trio, combined with players like Oubre Jr. and Barlow, may be just enough to take down the Lakers. On the other hand, Luka and Lebron could each put up 30 points, and the game could get out of hand quickly.
As for now, enjoy some of this era's best players and a few more Edgecombe highlights, which have become an almost daily occurrence.
Lakers 118 - Sixers 107
