The 76ers (3-2) continue their homestand Saturday, hosting the Atlanta Hawks (3-2) for the first time since the teams met in the second round of the 2021 NBA Playoffs.
The Sixers tipped off their four-game slate in South Philadelphia with a 110-102 win over Detroit Thursday.
Joel Embiid led the way in the victory, notching a 30-point, 18-rebound double-double, plus three assists and a steal.
Tobias Harris added 17 points and six rebounds, while Tyrese Maxey recorded 16 points, six rebounds, and six assists.
In his regular season debut (after rehabbing a right ankle sprain), Shake Milton led the Sixers’ bench with 13 points and five assists. Milton shot 5-for-10 from the field.
“It definitely felt good,” Milton said of his return to the floor. “After a while sitting out, it’s kind of hard. It felt good to be out there tonight.”
Milton credited his second unit comrades for their collective success, including Furkan Korkmaz, who recorded seven points, two assists, a steal, and a block, and Matisse Thybulle, who finished with five points, three rebounds, three assists and three steals.
“It’s been fun,” Milton said of playing alongside Korkmaz and Thybulle. “Those are two guys anybody would love to play with. Matisse, everything he brings defensively, and just his energy in general. Furk is such a savvy player, and he’s improved with his playmaking too.
“We’ve had games - games together, and games to get our chemistry right. So when we get out there, it’s not hard to play with them.”
Early in the season, the Sixers are shooting 47.9% from the field (2nd best in NBA), 40.0% from long range (3rd best in NBA), and 84.8% from the foul line (2nd best in NBA).
As of Friday evening, Embiid (right knee soreness) is questionable, and Grant Riller (left knee injury recovery) and Ben Simmons (personal reasons) are out. Jaden Springer and Aaron Henry are on assignment with the Delaware Blue Coats.
Following Saturday’s contest, the 76ers’ four-game homestand continues Monday, hosting Portland, and Wednesday, hosting Chicago.
Saturday’s matchup tips at 7:30 p.m. ET.
Opponent Outlook:
The Hawks fell at Washington Thursday, 122-111. John Collins led the way for Atlanta in scoring (28 pts) and rebounding (12 reb), while Trae Young scored 15 points and dished out a game-high 13 assists.
Young is leading the Hawks in scoring and sharing, averaging 24.2 points and 10.0 assists per game.
The Hawks are averaging 51.2 rebounds per game in the early stages of the season, a figure good for second-best in the NBA.
Bogdan Bogdanovic is probable (right ankle soreness), and Onyeka Okongwu is out (right shoulder injury recovery).
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