The Philadelphia 76ers (12-12) return to home court on Friday night for their next game, a matchup with the Los Angeles Lakers (10-14) that tips off a season-long seven game homestand.
James Harden returned to game action for the first time in over a month on Monday, a double overtime loss to the Rockets in Houston. Tyrese Maxey (left foot fracture) remains out, and the Thursday evening injury report also included Georges Niang (out - right foot soreness) and Danuel House Jr. (questionable - left foot laceration).
The Lakers listed LeBron James (left ankle soreness) and Anthony Davis (non-COVID illness) as probable, while Juan Toscano-Anderson (right ankle sprain) and Wenyen Gabriel (left shoulder sprain) are out.
Both teams are looking to get back in the win column on Friday, with the Sixers having dropped three straight games and the Lakers coming off two losses in Cleveland and Toronto during their current six-game road trip. Davis exited the Cleveland game early, and neither he nor James played against the Raptors on Wednesday.
“For us, getting everybody in here and having some practice days is important,” Tobias Harris said following Thursday’s Sixers practice. “In terms of offense for this group, it’s just running our stuff and figuring out ways that we can exert all options in the offensive package. Playing with pace, but using our defense to fuel getting out in transition and running. Obviously when you’ve got different lineups – guys in and out because of injuries – you do need these practice days to go over some stuff and just get back to the basics.”
Prior to their losses to the Cavaliers and Raptors, the Lakers had won eight of 10. Davis is their leading scorer (27.3 PPG) and rebounder (12.3 RPG, No. 1 in the NBA). James, who will turn 38 later this month, currently holds averages of 25.8 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 6.4 assists over 17 games. Nine-time NBA All-Star Russell Westbrook is averaging 14.7 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 7.3 assists in a reserve role for the Lakers this season, and he posted 16-9-4 in their last game.
The Sixers have won the last four meetings between the two teams over the past two seasons. This matchup features the two players – Davis and Joel Embiid – with the highest-scoring performances in the NBA so far this season. Embiid posted a career-high 59 points on Nov. 13 against the Jazz, and Davis recently scored 55 points for the Lakers on Sunday at Washington.
Friday’s game is a 7:30 p.m. ET start in South Philadelphia.
When We Last Saw Them:
Joel Embiid
Tobias Harris
“Just staying with it,” Harris said of his shooting success. “Through the season, it’s being able to find those looks and let them fly. Not getting discouraged if they don’t go in. Just staying with it and being able to trust the work that I’ve put in. I feel like I’m in a very good rhythm out there, so just keep letting them go, letting them fly. I think it helps the whole group by opening up the floor and spacing for us. It’s something I worked on throughout the offseason.”
James Harden
Shake Milton
76ers vs. Houston Rockets: Dec. 05, 2022
1 / 6HOUSTON, TX - DECEMBER 5: Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers drives to the basket during the game against the Houston Rockets on December 5, 2022 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas.
@Sixers Social:
Quote to Note:
Sixth-year Sixer Furkan Korkmaz on the team having multiple days to prepare for their next game:
“It’s been great. [Thursday] was especially competitive. We are trying to make each other better every day. So if it’s two days, it gives us a chance to come together even more… Sometimes in part of the games that we struggled, execution was the key – to execute defensively and offensively, stick to the plan. I think [the schedule] worked out well.”