7:08 pm
August 1

76ers v. Pacers

Who will WIN this matchup?

Philadelphia 76ers (39-26)

Indiana Pacers (39-26)

 

Current odds:

Philadelphia 76ers: (-260)

Indiana Pacers: (+220)

 

• The line for this game is 76ers by 6 points.

• The Philadelphia 76ers limped into the shutdown when All-Star Ben Simmons was sidelined with a back injury. Simmons was able to rest during the long layoff since March, and he’ll enter the first game completely healthy as the Sixers (39-26) play the Indiana Pacers (39-26) on Saturday night near Orlando. Before the NBA restart, Sixers head coach Brett Brown shifted Simmons from point guard to power forward. Regardless of what position Simmons will occupy, he’s ready to compete again.

• The Sixers, currently the No. 6 seed in the Eastern Conference, were a league-best 29-2 at home and just 10-24 on the road when the games halted.

• The Sixers will advance as far as All-Star center Joel Embiid carries them. Embiid, who missed the Sixers’ final two scrimmages with a strained right calf, is expected to start against the Pacers. Embiid missed 21 of the team’s 65 games before the shutdown with a variety of injuries but averaged 23.4 points, 11.8 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.3 blocked shots per game.

• The Pacers hold the No. 5 seed because of a 2-1 series edge against Philadelphia. But Indiana has some troubling injury issues, most notably to Domantas Sabonis, who left the bubble and will not play with plantar fasciitis in his left foot. A first time All-Star, Sabonis’ absence will be noticeable.

• Myles Turner also missed Thursday’s scrimmage and Victor Oladipo missed 52 games with knee and quad injuries. But Oladipo practiced Thursday and Friday and could potentially play against the Sixers. For several weeks, Oladipo seemed convinced that he wouldn’t be healthy enough to play. Now with Sabonis sidelined, Oladipo’s presence would be a major lift. “After coming down here, reassessing every day out there playing 5-on-5 with these guys, moving around, doing basketball-related things like rebounding, change of speed, changing ends of the floor, running … I’m trending in a positive direction,” Oladipo said.

5/10
Confidence
StreakSmarter Pick
Philadelphia 76ers
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