Following a four-game road trip, the 76ers (21-14) return home for a trio of games to tip off the 2023 portion of their schedule. First up is a Monday night rematch against the New Orleans Pelicans (23-13), after the teams met on Friday in New Orleans – an 11-point win for the Pelicans. Both teams are 7-9 away from home so far this season.
Tyrese Maxey returned to action for the Sixers in the first meeting with New Orleans, coming off the bench to log 19 minutes after an 18-game absence due to a fracture in his foot. Joel Embiid put up 37 points in the loss, while the Pelicans got a game-high 42 points – including a franchise-record 11 three-pointers – from Lehigh product CJ McCollum. Zion Williamson added 36 points.
The overnight injury report did not include any Sixers. On the other side, Brandon Ingram (left great toe contusion), E.J. Liddell (right knee ACL injury recovery), and Larry Nance Jr. (neck spasm) remain out.
The Sixers won their New Year’s Eve contest, 115-96, at Oklahoma City, while the Pelicans dropped theirs, 116-101, at Memphis. An Embiid triple-double highlighted the former and 2021-22 All-Rookie Team selection Herb Jones (team-high 11 rebounds and three steals) returned to the floor in the latter.
“Early in the game, we had it rolling from the perimeter,” Tobias Harris said postgame. “That allowed the lane to really open up for all of us... Just being able to get downhill and create plays. I thought our activity offensively was huge. We knew, defensively, that's where it was at. First quarter, to be able to hold them to 20 points – if we're able to do that and shoot the ball well and score, that's a really good formula to win a game.”
This next matchup features two of the NBA’s top teams in net rating, which measures a team’s point differential per 100 possessions: No. 3 New Orleans (4.8) and No. 5 Philadelphia (4.0).
The Indiana Pacers are scheduled to visit the Sixers on Wednesday and the Chicago Bulls will follow on Friday.
Monday is a 7 p.m. start in South Philadelphia.
When We Last Saw Them…
Joel Embiid
Tobias Harris
James Harden
Tyrese Maxey
De’Anthony Melton/Shake Milton
76ers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder: Dec. 31, 2022
1 / 6OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - DECEMBER 31: De'Anthony Melton drives to the basket on December 31, 2022 at Paycom Arena in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
@Sixers Social:
Quote to Note:
Shake Milton on Tobias Harris' standout night and perfect first half in OKC:
“Tobias is great. He’s the ultimate pro. Seeing the way he works day in and day out, it’s motivational.”