Sixers will face a tough one-two punch against the Thunder and Knicks
After losing five of their last seven, the Sixers could use a victory against anyone. Oklahoma City stands atop the Western Conference at 32-6 and New York is 26-15.
ORLANDO — Tyrese Maxey described what is ahead for him and his 76ers teammates in their next two games against the Oklahoma City Thunder and the New York Knicks.
“They both [pose] a lot of different challenges,” Maxey said of the back-to-back games on Tuesday and Wednesday at the Wells Fargo Center.
It will be Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams on Tuesday. It will be Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns on Wednesday. It will be the Western Conference’s best team on Tuesday. It will be one of the Sixers’ most despised Atlantic Division rivals on Wednesday.
“The Thunder, they are the number one team in the West for a reason,” Maxey said. “They play everybody tough. We know what Shai is going to do, but they have a lot of depth on their team.
“We know what the Knicks can do. They are going to play hard, play tough. This will be my first time playing against KAT [as a Knick], so we will see what that challenge presents. They are talented and well-coached.”
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Hosting the Thunder (32-6) and the Knicks (26-15) is a grueling test. But this is a vital back-to-back regardless of the opponents.
Losers of five of their last seven, the Sixers (15-22) are in desperate need of a victory. This back-to-back is magnified because it starts a stretch in which 14 of the next 15 games are against opponents who have winning records.
Two victories or a split in the next two games could give the Sixers a boost that could help them during this stretch. Two losses, especially lopsided ones, could lead to a downward spiral that would be tough to overcome.
“Yeah, I mean, they are playing really well,” Paul George said of the Thunder and the Knicks. “They’re both healthy [teams]. They’re going to cause us to bring our A game, plus more. It’s going to be a challenge, especially playing them on a back-to-back. Got to come with it.”
The Sixers’ level of competitiveness could take a hit with Joel Embiid remaining sidelined.
The 2023 NBA MVP will miss his fifth consecutive game on Tuesday with a sprained left foot. Embiid has played in only 13 games this season because of injuries and a suspension, and his presence has made a difference. Philly is 7-6 in games with Embiid and 8-16 without him.
Andre Drummond (sprained left toe), Kyle Lowry (sprained right hip), KJ Martin (left foot stress reaction), and Jared McCain (left knee meniscus surgery) also will remain sidelined. McCain is out for the remainder of the season. Caleb Martin (right groin soreness), who missed Sunday’s loss to the Orlando Magic, is listed as questionable.
Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder will try to take advantage of the Sixers’ lack of rim protection with Embiid and Drummond sidelined.
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A two-time All-NBA selection, Gilgeous-Alexander is second in the league in scoring at 31.4 points per game. He is third in steals (2.0) and is shooting 52.2% while averaging 5.5 rebounds, 5.9 assists, and 1.1 blocks.
He’s on pace to become the second player in NBA history to average 30-plus points on at least 50% shooting along with more than five rebounds, five assists, two steals, and one block. Hall of Famer Michael Jordan accomplished that feat during the 1987-88 and 1990-91 seasons.
Williams, a third-year swingman, is averaging career highs of 20.6 points, 5.7 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 1.7 steals. Isaiah Hartenstein has been a great free-agent acquisition for Oklahoma City. The former Knicks center is averaging 11.9 points, 12.0 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 1.3 blocks, and has 14 double-doubles.
With the trio leading a balanced attack, the Thunder have won 12 of their last 13 games.
Oklahoma City also leads the NBA in steals (11.6 per game), deflections (22.1), opponents' turnovers (18.5) and points off turnovers (23.1), while ranking tied for fourth in blocks (6.0).
The Sixers’ matchup with the Knicks will be the teams' second meeting of the season. New York took a 111-99 victory in an NBA Cup opener in Philly on Nov. 12. Maxey missed that game with a hamstring injury.
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George scored 29 points while making 7 of 11 three-pointers. He also had 10 rebounds and three steals. Embiid was noticeably rusty, out of game shape, and timid in what was his first game of the season because of left knee management and a three-game suspension.
He finished with 13 points, three rebounds, five assists, one block, and two turnovers while playing just 26 minutes, 25 seconds on a minutes restriction. Towns, whom the Knicks acquired in a blockbuster trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves, had 21 points, 13 rebounds, and six assists while getting the best of Embiid.
Brunson finished 18 points on 5-for-15 shooting while committing six turnovers. But through 39 games, the All-Star point guard is averaging 25.5 points and 7.5 assists. He had 44 points on 61.5% shooting in a rout of the Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday. Towns added 30 points and 18 rebounds, marking his sixth game with at least 30 points and 15 rebounds this season.