Right before Christmas, Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers could not get an early holiday gift.
The Sixers couldn’t capitalize on the Trae Young-less Atlanta Hawks last Friday as Embiid’s potential game-tying jumper at the buzzer did not find its mark. The Hawks were victorious, 98-96. Embiid finished with 23 points and 10 rebounds as the Sixers faltered to a 16-16 record.
Though the wins have been particularly hard to come by, a team with Embiid’s talents is always positioned to be a playoff contender.
Philadelphia has a chance to get back on track and move up the tight Eastern Conference standings when it heads to Washington to face the Wizards on Monday.
The Wizards have cooled off after their hot start, but they still show flashes of their potential. With a 17-15 record and coming off back-to-back wins, they’re in the thick of things in terms of playoff considerations.
The issue of health has been put front and center this month and these two teams are not exempted from the recent COVID-19 outbreak.
For the Sixers, four players are on the league’s health and safety protocols. Georges Niang, Andre Drummond, Shake Milton, and Danny Green are likely to miss the game against the Wizards unless they clear protocols beforehand. All four are contributing role players in various capacities. Without them, the pressure will be bigger for Embiid, as well as fellow shot-creator Tobias Harris.
Washington’s Bradley Beal and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope are also on the long list of unavailable players. This hurts because Beal is arguably the team’s best player while KCP is a veteran shotmaker.
Despite the absence of two key pieces, the Wizards were able to put out a collective effort in their last game over the New York Knicks. Spencer Dinwiddie, who was brought in during the offseason with high expectations, had one of his best games as a Wizard with 21 points and 11, while rookie Corey Kispert added 20 points.
The Wizards dished out 30 assists in the Knicks victory, and they’ll need to replicate that kind of teamwork when they take on the Sixers.
After an entertaining set of Christmas Day games, the rest of the league gets back to the action. Who will be in a festive mood after Monday’s game – the Sixers or the Wizards? Tipoff is 7:00 AM on NBA TV Philippines via Smart GigaPlay app or Cignal TV.
