The Oklahoma City Thunder is the hottest team in the NBA right now. Riding a 6-game winning streak, the Thunder looks like the next big thing in basketball, and they get a chance on Saturday afternoon to take on one of the league’s giants from the last few seasons as Joel Embiid and the Phildealphi 76ers are in town.
Embiid sat out last game with a sore hip—his first missed game of the season—but he’s expected to be back on the court today. While stopping him altogether is impossible for basically any team in the league, the Thunder has to figure out a way to slow him down. Hopefully Chet Holmgren ate his Wheaties this morning, because this will be his toughest matchup since he was pushed around by Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets.
In the back court for the Sixers, Tyrese Maxey is quickly emerging as a star. Since the departure of James Harden, Maxey has become “the guy” with the ball, and he’s done quite well with it, averaging 26.3 points and 7.1 assists this season. Still, the Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will the best guard on the floor.
OKC didn’t shoot quite as well as they normally do in their double-digit victory over the Bulls on Wednesday night, so if they can get back on track with that today and somehow find a way to at least keep within striking distance in the rebound battle, then they have a good shot at defeating the Sixers and cementing their top spot in the Western Conference standings.
Game Details
Tip-Off: 4 PM CT
Location: Paycom Center (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma)
Television: Bally Sports Oklahoma
Radio: WWLS 98.1FM OKC The Sports Animal
Twitter: Follow @ZacharyLowNBA for live tweets and discussion during the game
Game Notes: Oklahoma City Thunder Official Game Notes, Philadelphia 76ers Official Game Notes
Projected Starters
Thunder
- PG: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
- SG: Cason Wallace
- SF: Josh Giddey
- PF: Luguentz Dort
- C: Chet Holmgren
Sixers
- PG: Tyrese Maxey
- SG: De’Anthony Melton
- SF: Tobias Harris
- PF: Nicolas Batum
- C: Joel Embiid
Injury Report
Thunder
- Lindy Waters III is QUESTIONABLE (back spasms).
- Jalen Williams is OUT (strained left hip).
Sixers
- Ricky Council IV is OUT (G League — two-way).
- Joel Embiid is PROBABLE (left hip soreness).
- Kelly Oubre Jr. is OUT (fractured rib).
- Javonte Smart is OUT (G League — two-way).
- Terquavion Smith is OUT (G League — two-way).
Head-to-Head
- Since arriving in Oklahoma City in 2008, the Thunder is 21-7 against the Sixers (10-3 at home, 10-5 on the road).
- Since arriving in Oklahoma City in 2008, the Thunder has won the season series against the Sixers 9 times, lost it twice, and tied 4 times.
- The Thunder tied with the 76ers 1-1 last season (0-1 at home, 1-0 on the road).