The Philadelphia 76ers are back in action against the New York Knicks after their "winter break."
After having a week off from action, the Philadelphia 76ers will be taking on the New York Knicks in The Garden in what will be a huge Eastern Conference matchup for them. Sitting at 14-11, the Sixers are in need of a big win against a great team. With the Knicks winning the NBA Cup, they're the perfect team for this opportunity.
Talent-wise, Philadelphia is still one of the best teams in the league, but the execution has just been an issue this season, regardless of what players are injured. While this certainly is a coaching issue at heart, it would be nice to see the team clicking as a unit within themselves, as that could lead to huge success.
With Joel Embiid in his current state, the team doesn't have much time left with his talent on the roster. As scary as that sounds, it's true, so it's important that they capitalize while they can. Embiid is questionable for tonight's game with an illness, but he was at shootaround so there is hope for him to play.
Maxey will also be returning, so they will have their MVP candidate returning, giving them a good chance to at least make it a competitive game. Though Oubre remains out, this would be about as close to full strength as the team has been all season.
Knowing how elite the roster would be if every player were active, it can be a mental battle at times, even for fans. That said, the team does seem to be getting healthier, so things could be looking up. New York will be a huge challenge, but they're not unbeatable by any means.
If the Sixers can just play their game and take some control early, they should be able to use what padding they have to stay afloat for the rest of the game. If Embiid does play, then it could be another opportunity for him to show that he's still a top player as well.
Overall, a loss wouldn't be the worst thing in the world, but a victory against a team this good would be one that could build momentum to go on a positive run.