The Philadelphia 76ers fell to the LA Clippers on Wednesday night and now turn their attention to the Los Angeles Lakers in hopes of securing their second win of the season. This game will mark the second of three contests Joel Embiid is serving out for his suspension. With Tyrese Maxey also dealing with hamstring tightness and set to miss time, the Sixers may find themselves without two-thirds of their Big 3 for this matchup.
Thus far, the Sixers have drastically underwhelmed — even for their standards without Embiid. The offense has often stagnated, and the rotation is a work in progress, with several players having drastic minute fluctuations. Assuming Maxey isn’t good to go, guys like Kyle Lowry, Jared McCain and even Reggie Jackson will have to step up.
Outside of the guard play, this will likely be another game where they rely heavily on Andre Drummond and Guerschon Yabusele. Anthony Davis did not suit up for the Lakers last game due to an ankle injury, but if he does (he is listed as probable), Drummond will see heavy playing time. If Davis doesn’t play, the Sixers could pivot back to Yabusele — who logged a season-low 10 minutes last game against the Clippers. Beyond Davis, the Lakers don’t have much front court depth, with guys such as Rui Hachimura and Jaxson Hayes being their only options.
On the other side of the court, the Los Angeles Lakers have been solid under their new head coach, JJ Redick. They boast a top-10 offense so far on the season, although their defense lags, ranking just 28th in the league. The Sixers, in comparison, are 26th in offensive rating and 22nd in defense. Not ideal!
This game, much like the Clippers’ game, has the potential to set the team in the right direction moving forward. They have two more games without Embiid against the Lakers and Charlotte Hornets. Both could be winnable if Paul George rounds into form, though facing Davis and LeBron James will be daunting. Two wins would set their season record at 3-6, an early season hole but not deep.
Can the Sixers get their first win of November without some of their big names? Let’s find out.
Game Details
Who: Philadelphia 76ers at Los Angeles Lakers
When: 10:00 pm ET
Where: Cyrpto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA
Watch: NBC Sports Philadelphia, ESPN
Radio: 97.5 The Fanatic
Follow: @LibertyBallers
