Sunday night features an Eastern Conference showdown as the Philadelphia 76ers (14-6) take on the Indiana Pacers (11-8). The Pacers will host this one at the Bankers Life Fieldhouse, with tipoff scheduled for 7:00 pm ET.
At 14-6, the 76ers currently hold the top spot in the Eastern Conference, 1.5 games ahead of the second-place Brooklyn Nets. The 76ers have been on a roll, winning five of their last six. In their last matchup, a 118-94 win over the Timberwolves, center Joel Embiid led the way with 37 points and 11 rebounds.
The Indiana Pacers sit 2.5 games behind the 76ers in the East, good for 5th overall. They are 2-2 in their last four games, including a 108-105 loss against the Hornets on Friday. In the loss, the Pacers had three players score 20 points or more (Domantas Sabonis, Malcolm Brogdon, and Myles Turner) but still could not pull out the win. They will look to bounce back against the 76ers Sunday.
Despite playing on the road, the 76ers are the slight favorite in this one. They are -130 to win while the Pacers’ moneyline is +110. The spread features Indiana +2.
By The Numbers
Offensively, these two teams are pretty similar. Philadelphia ranks 9th in scoring, averaging 113.6 points per game. The Pacers come in just a couple of spots behind at 11th averaging 113.3 points.
Defensively, it is once again the 76ers with the slight edge. They rank 10th in the league in scoring defense, allowing an average of 109.7 points. The Pacers rank 15th allowing an average of 110.7.
Philadelphia Looks To Continue Dominance In East
Philadelphia has quickly established their dominance in the East but with the Nets and their trio of stars right behind them, the 76ers would love to keep their space in the conference.
Leading the way for the 76ers is center Joel Embiid. On the season, he has averaged 28.3 points on 54.4% shooting. He is also adding 11.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.2 steals per game.
Embiid has been dealing with some back issues and has periodically missed some games this season. With an off day on Saturday, the expectation is that he will play, but he is officially listed as questionable.
Aside from Embiid, Tobias Harris and Ben Simmons have been two of their best players. Harris has come on strong, averaging 19.9 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 2.8 assists. Simmons is averaging 12.9 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 7.9 assists.
Pacers Hope To Knock Off Top-Ranked 76ers
While it is early in the season, Indiana has shown that they are a tough matchup for any NBA team. Despite their strong record, they are just 6-5 when playing at home but are hoping to knock off the top-ranked 76ers on Sunday.
The Pacers have two players averaging over 20 points per game. Malcolm Brogdon (22.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, 7.2 assists) and Domantas Sabonis (20.5 points, 12.2 rebounds, 5.8 assists) have both been spectacular.
Unfortunately, the Pacers have lost a bit of depth. They traded away Victor Oladipo, and the main return, Chris LeVert, is out indefinitely after having cancer surgery on his kidneys. Furthermore, T.J. Warren has only played in 4 games this season. Also, Doug McDermott left their last game with an injury and is questionable Sunday.
Other major contributors include Myles Turner (14.4 points, 6.8 rebounds) and Justin Holiday (10.9 points, 3.9 rebounds).
Taking Philadelphia To Win And Cover
The biggest variable in this one is injuries. Obviously, if Joel Embiid does not play, that could play a huge difference in the outcome. With the plethora of injuries that the Pacers have been dealing with, it still might not matter. For my money, I am taking Philadelphia to win and cover in this one.
