The Philadelphia 76ers are in Minnesota on Sunday night to take on the Timberwolves, trying to get right after a four-game losing streak. While the Wolves have won their past three games, they've been over the Mavericks, Hawks, and Trail Blazers, whereas the Sixers have just lost to the lowly Hawks and Pelicans in their last two games.
Who: Philadelphia 76ers (30-26) at Minnesota Timberwolves (35-22)
When: 7:00 p.m. EST
Where: Target Center, Minneapolis, Minn.
Watch: NBC Sports Philadelphia, NBA League Pass, FanDuel Sports Network Midwest
The Sixers are on the back end of a road trip back-to-back, and they're already worn down and still missing two vital pieces. Tyrese Maxey has truly given all he can this season, but he's being run into the ground, and it's shown in his shooting of late. As the season has gone on, the league's minutes-per-game leader has been hurting. In addition to running the team, there aren't many viable options without Joel Embiid on the court.
The losses to teams like the Hawks and Pelicans have shown that this team, while constructed to run with Embiid and Paul George, doesn't have the depth to compete with just Maxey and star rookie VJ Edgecombe. Trendon Watford, Dominick Barlow, and Jabari Walker are all feel-good stories, like Yabusele was last season, but they're not the quality that the team truly needs. Quentin Grimes, one of last year's feel-good stories, has come back down to earth this season and remains in the middle of a prolonged slump.
Head Coach Nick Nurse has his work cut out for him over the next week to get the team operating at its peak while still allowing Maxey and Edgecombe any rest. There has to be a way for the team to use each role player's skills to maximize their contributions on the court until Embiid returns, and then they can rest on the shoulders of the star center.
The Timberwolves' victories over some of the league's lower-ranked teams shouldn't be overlooked, as teams like the Sixers often play down to them. The Wolves are aiming to move up in a crowded Western Conference playoff race, so beating teams they "should" beat is key so they can focus on improving against the top teams.
The trio of Anthony Edwards, Julius Randle, and Jaden McDaniels has been leading the way throughout the season, while Naz Reid and Donte DiVincenzo have found ways to contribute regularly. The team will be without their one big defender, Rudy Gobert, who's suspended for today's game due to an accumulation of Flagrant foul points. Gobert, the four-time Defensive Player of the Year, is still leading the team in blocks and rebounds while adding another 11 points per game.
Despite missing Gobert, the team is still ranked in the top ten on both ends of the floor, which will be a problem for a smaller, undermanned Sixers team. The Wolves are also one of the better three-point shooting teams in the league. They can come at you from any number of directions and shut teams down. They'll be looking to take advantage of the Sixers limited lineup and fatigue as they look to climb past the Rockets and Lakers into the top tier of the conference.
The Sixers will be playing their third game in four nights after the All-Star break. They're in the midst of a losing streak, two of their top players are out, and the other two are fatigued. Should be the perfect time for them to steal a win over the better team, but it won't be the case tonight.
Besides the normal Maxey and Edgecombe highlights, which seem to be a nightly occurrence, the team is going to have to get them some rest. It will all come down to how the Wolves play in the first half. If they're able to get out to a huge lead, combined with the Sixers' lack of any sort of game in the third quarter, it would be wise for Nurse to get Maxey and Edgecombe some rest, let the subs play, and empty the bench.
The Wolves have just too much that's been going right for them of late, while the Sixers seem to be battling exactly what they did for most of last season. Tonight will not be a pretty game, and it'll be tough to see what the Wolves do to the Sixers, but maybe it'll inspire some growth and understanding on how to better move forward this season.
Wolves 134 - Sixers 96
