The Philadelphia 76ers are home on Wednesday night to take on the Washington Wizards, as they look to bounce back from losing to the Denver Nuggets on Monday night. The Wizards have won three of their last four games, including a Tuesday night victory, 120-112, over the Orlando Magic.
Who: Washington Wizards (10-25) at Philadelphia 76ers (19-15)
When: 7:00 p.m. EST
Where: XFinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia, Pa.
Watch: NBC Sports Philadelphia, NBA League Pass, Monumental Sports Network
After the loss on Monday to the Nuggets, things couldn't possibly get worse, could they? The Sixers host the Wizards, and if they allow the type of shooting that they did against the Nuggets, it'll get worse. The team shot well and played well, but they allowed the Nuggets to shoot close to 50% from three-point range, which is a recipe for disaster.
For tonight, the Sixers have Joel Embiid listed as probable, which isn't surprising given the number of games he's played recently and the minutes he's been logging. Embiid has stated he feels good, but the team will remain cautious with the oft-injured star center.
Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe continue their stellar play, while Quentin Grimes has looked like he's past the shooting slump he experienced to close out the 2025 calendar year. Over his last three games, Grimes has averaged 15 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 3 assists, while shooting 55.5% from the floor and 47.6% from three. The trio has been very good all season and may be taking their game to another level in the new year.
The Wizards are normally led by CJ McCollum, who's on the back end of his career, but will miss tonight. They're the second-worst team in the Eastern Conference and the fourth-worst in the league, which pretty much sums up the last decade or so of Washington basketball.
While the team isn't winning much, they've won three of their last four games and will look to take down a Sixers squad fresh off a loss to the Nuggets. The Wizards do have a light at the end of the tunnel, though.
With Alex Sarr, Bilal Coulibaly, Cam Whittmore, Kyshawn George, Bub Carrington, and Tre Johnson all young and developing, the team's future looks bright. George, who will miss tonight's game, is the elder statesman of the group at 22 and is having a fine year, averaging 15 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 5.1 assists per game. Whitmore and Will Riley will also miss tonight's game, as will veteran Khis Middleton. The Wizards have been bad for quite a while, but that will change over the next few seasons.
The duo of Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe has become a show unto itself over the past few weeks, and they continue to excite fans with their play and growth together. Edgecombe has shown the ability to make plays all over the court, on both sides of the ball, even when his shot isn't falling. Maxey is playing with a confidence that comes with knowing it's now his team.
The Wizards, with all the talented youth on their roster, shouldn't be much of a problem for the Sixers, who will be more rested. On the other hand, that's what everyone thought about the Nuggets game.
Tonight, the Sixers should right the wrongs from Monday and step up on defense, looking to make a statement against one of the league's poorer offensive teams. If the Sixers can get the game under control quickly, they may find some time to get Jared McCain some minutes and help him regain the confidence that he's lost since returning.
Sixers 123 - Wizards 107
