The Philadelphia 76ers are at home for the second game in a row as they take on the conference-leading Detroit Pistons on the tail end of their back-to-back games. While the Sixers may be a little sluggish after beating the Raptors on Saturday night, the Pistons had the day off after blowing out the Nets on Friday night. The Pistons are in the midst of a five-game winning streak that the Sixers will try to put to an end, much like the one they ended for the Raptors last night.
Who: Detroit Pistons (7-2) at Philadelphia 76ers (6-3)
When: 7:30 pm EST
Where: XFinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia, PA
Watch: NBC Sports Philadelphia, NBA League Pass, Bally Sports Detroit
The Sixers were horrible on their three-point attempts against the Raptors, shooting just 28.6% on the night, but they dominated the boards and scored in the paint, which helped them to the win. Center Joel Embiid had 29 points in 26 minutes, while Tyrese Maxey had 31 points, 7 assists, and 4 rebounds in 43 minutes, and they weren't even the biggest story of the night.
Trendon Watford had himself a game against the Raptors, posting a triple-double with 20 points, 17 rebounds, and 10 assists. While Watford, in limited minutes, didn't have a very good start to his Sixers career, in the four games since, he's become a whole new player. In November, he's averaging 15 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 6.3 assists while shooting 66.7% on the small number of threes he takes. Watford has truly looked like a crucial piece of this new look Sixers squad.
While Jared McCain didn't see any minutes in last night's game, and it left fans wondering if there was a bigger issue, the reality is that Embiid won't be playing in the second game, and the Sixers will have McCain to be used with the four-guard rotation and small-ball lineup that works on Joel's nights off.
The Pistons started the season 2-2 and then proceeded to run off five straight victories to put themselves at the top of the Eastern Conference. After finishing sixth in the conference last season, the team expected to leap forward and is looking to rival the Cavaliers for the top spot in the East.
With young players like Cade Cunningham, Ausar Thompson, and Jalen Duran as such a talented trio to build around, the team also features role players like Duncan Robinson, Isaiah Stewart, and Caris LeVert that can provide some leadership and contribute on both ends of the floor.
Against the Nets, in the most recent win, Duran had 30 points and 11 rebounds, while Cunningham had 34 points and 10 assists to lead the team. Getting 24 points from the duo of Thompson and LaVert, while having Robinson chip in with eight assists, has helped the Pistons maintain a good balance of scoring and defense during their five-game winning streak.
The Sixers will be back in their black, Hardwood Classic uniforms tonight as they'll be paying homage to Allen Iverson with the guards all flying up and down the court. Without Embiid, the team will go toward more three-guard sets, and with the way the group has been performing, adding Jared McCain will only help them on both ends of the court.
The Sixers will have to improve on their three-point shooting, which hasn't been above 40% in any game since they beat the Wizards back on October 28th. They've been trying to get Embiid back into the game and figuring out what works best for the whole team, but if they're to win games, they'll need to get back to where they started the season. Having McCain back will help, as well as the space that Watford and Kelly Oubre Jr. have been providing; now it's just a matter of making the shots.
The absence of Embiid means that we'll see more of Adem Bona and Andre Drummond, but with Watford providing size and talent at the forward position, the team may not be at such a deficit while their All-Star center rests. The key will be how they all work together while having Embiid miss games. You're not going to easily replace a player like Embiid, but Watford has been making a huge case of late for getting more minutes and responsibility.
Sixers 129 - Pistons 123
