The Philadelphia 76ers split their two lone games last week without their superstar center Joel Embiid. The team will now look forward to this upcoming week with four crucial games as they hope for Embiid’s return. The Sixers are the current three seed in the Eastern Conference, as they have for most of the season, and hold a record of 24-13.
Harris Shines in Two Game Stint
On Wednesday, January 10, the Sixers played the Atlanta Hawks on the road and lost an overtime thriller 139-132. Despite the unfortunate outcome, Tobias Harris and Tyrese Maxey posted a combined 67 points. Harris finished with 32 points and 10 rebounds shooting an impressive 50/50/100 split. While Maxey was not as efficient in his shooting, he still had a 35-point near triple-double with eight rebounds and nine assists.
The Embiid-less 76ers kept their heads high and rolled over the Sacramento Kings at home winning 112-93. Again, Harris stole the spotlight with 37 points shooting 56% from the field, 42.9% from three, and 100% at the charity stripe. Mohamed Bamba and Paul Reed did an outstanding job of containing the Kings’ big man Domantas Sabonis to just 14 points. The duo also had three steals and seven blocks combined in the defensive effort. Overall, this short week provided an opportunity for Embiid to heal up, while Harris, Reed, and others had a chance to step up and show their worth to the team.
Sixers Hopeful for Embiid’s Return for Tough Week
On Monday, Philadelphia will host the Houston Rockets on Martin Luther King Jr. Day with Embiid among others listed as game-time decisions. Head coach Nick Nurse has said their center is day-to-day with a knee injury, and the team is hopeful to have him back soon. The following day, the Sixers will host the reigning champion Denver Nuggets and two-time MVP Nikola Jokic. The Nuggets are currently the Western Conference’s three seed, and if Embiid is active, the matchup of the two most recent MVPs will make major headlines.
The 76ers get Wednesday and Thursday as a break this week but travel to Orlando to face the Magic on Friday. The Magic were once among the Eastern Conference’s best as far as the record goes, but they have been on a downward slide and are now 21-18 as the current eighth seed. Finally, the Sixers play the Charlotte Hornets on the road to finish off a hectic week. The two final games of the week are winnable, but the question this week will be when is Embiid going to return from injury. If he is missing, it will make stopping the Rockets or Nuggets extremely difficult. Even with their superstar, the 76ers will need to play their best to pick up four wins this week.
