We will see a potential NBA Finals preview on Saturday night when the Philadelphia 76ers host the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers have been the best team in the Western Conference this season. They are 34-9 and hold a four-game lead over Denver, Utah, and the city rival Clippers for the top spot in the conference. However, this team is reeling after a 32-point beatdown at the hands of the Boston Celtics on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, so the Lakers are hoping to rebound when they travel to the City of Brotherly Love to take on the Philadelphia 76ers.
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- Date and Time: Saturday, January 25, 2020, 8:30 p.m. ET
- Location: Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Opening NBA Odds: Check Back Later
- Lakers at 76ers TV Coverage: ABC
Philadelphia is hopeful that Joel Embiid will be back for this game. Embiid has missed the last two weeks with a dislocated finger, and his absence has been noticeable. The 76ers have had to change the way they play without their star center in the lineup, but they have managed to win four straight games without Embiid. Those victories have come over Brooklyn (twice), Chicago, and New York though, and they lost to the two teams with winning records they have faced in Dallas and Indiana.
The Lakers won nine straight games between December 28 and January 13 to give themselves a cushion in the race for the Western Conference crown. In the last week, we have seen this team struggle though, as Anthony Davis missed five straight games due to a lower back issue. LA was stunned at home by Orlando last Wednesday night, and Davis’ return was spoiled in a 139-107 loss to Boston. This will be the last game in a five-game road trip for the Lakers that started in Houston on January 18. The Lakers will face the Knicks and Nets on Wednesday and Thursday night before this game.
Head-to-Head Results
These teams have yet to square off this season. This is the first of two meetings between the Lakers and 76ers, and the second meeting will take place in Los Angeles on March 3.
Key Stats
If Embiid returns in time for this game, the battle between he and ‘The Brow’ will be the highlight of the evening. These are two of the best big men in the NBA, and they can both get buckets and grab boards with relative ease.
Anthony Davis has been everything he was expected to be when he is acquired from New Orleans. He leads the Lakers in scoring with 26.6 PPG, and his 9.3 RPG are tops on the team. Davis has remained a strong defensive presence too with 2.6 BPG, ranking third in the NBA in that category.
Embiid has missed 14 games due to injury, raising concerns about his long-term health prospects once again. When he has been on the floor, he has been the star of the Sixers though, leading the team with 23.4 PPG and 12.3 RPG. He gets baited into fouls a little too easily, averaging 3.5 fouls per game despite averaging 31 minutes an outing, so Davis might try to get Embiid into foul trouble early.
Philadelphia will have the rest advantage by getting an extra day off, and the 76ers will be playing at home too. Philly is 20-2 at home this season, and the Sixers haven’t lost at home since before Christmas. However, I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Lakers favored per the NBA betting odds here as long as Davis and James are playing. The Lakers are 18-4 on the road, and that’s why I’m taking them to cover the spread on Saturday night.
Lakers at 76ers Score Prediction: Lakers 113, 76ers 108
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