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The Philadelphia 76ers host the Indiana Pacers at the Wells Fargo Center in an exciting Eastern Conference matchup in the 2020-21 NBA on Monday.
However, the two teams have endured slumps of late. The conference-leading Philadelphia 76ers lost 109-112 against the Cleveland Cavaliers in overtime in their last outing. They lost despite Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons combined for 66 points, which included a double-double by Embiid.
Meanwhile, the Indiana Pacers are on a three-game losing streak and are struggling to win games down the stretch. They've managed to keep their games close but have failed to close them out in the final minutes.
Match Details
Fixture: Indiana Pacers vs Philadelphia 76ers | NBA Season 2020-21.
Date & Time: Monday, March 1st; 7:00 PM ET (Tuesday, March 2nd; 5:30 AM IST).
Venue: Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA.
Philadelphia 76ers Preview
Despite their recent form, the Philadelphia 76ers have had one of their best starts in a long time.
Their star center Joel Embiid is currently leading the MVP race, and the team is flourishing under the leadership of their new head coach Doc Rivers. Daryl Morey added Seth Curry, Danny Green and Dwight Howard into the lineup during the offseason, and, needless to say, things have worked out well.
Ben Simmons just got selected in his third straight All-Star team and is leading the Philadelphia 76ers in both assists and steals.
The Philadelphia 76ers' victories wouldn't have been possible without their stellar defense. Simmons recently made a statement saying he feels he is the best defender in the league. Meanwhile, Embiid is leading the team in points, rebounds and blocks.
Key Player - Ben Simmons
As great a player Ben Simmons is, he surprisingly hasn't improved since his rookie year.
He is averaging the same numbers in all categories for the past three years. Joel Embiid is averaging incredible numbers consistently, but the Philadelphia 76ers cannot afford an off-night from Simmons.
Simmons has been great in facilitating the ball, but his assist numbers need to massively improve. He is making better decisions and directing traffic with ease, though.
Philadelphia 76ers Predicted Lineup
G - Ben Simmons, G - Seth Curry, F - Danny Green, F - Tobias Harris, C - Joel Embiid.
Indiana Pacers Preview
The Indiana Pacers have won just three of their past 11 games. On a positive note, their forward Domantas Sabonis was recently named as a replacement for an injured Kevin Durant for the 2021 NBA All-Star game.
The Indiana Pacers haven't recovered much since Victor Oladipo was traded to the Houston Rockets following the blockbuster James Harden trade.
The absence of a 20-points-per-game scorer has reduced the efficacy of the Indiana Pacers' offense. Meanwhile, Malcolm Brogdon has done a terrific job of helping Sabonis at the offensive end by contributing 21 points per night. Moreover, center Myles Turner is leading the league in blocked shots.
Key Player - Domantas Sabonis
Domantas Sabonis is having the best season of his career. He recently got selected for his second-ever All-Star game and is averaging a double-double, including a career-high in both points and assists.
Sabonis is also shooting the three-ball better and is scoring at a remarkable 56% overall efficiency.
Indiana Pacers Predicted Lineup
G - Malcolm Brogdon, G - Justin Holiday, F - Doug McDermott, F - Domantas Sabonis, C - Myles Turner.
Pacers vs 76ers Match Prediction
The Philadelphia 76ers are the clear favorites to win this game. They are legitimate title-contenders, as they are leading their conference. However, the Indiana Pacers may not make for an easy outing, as the former are fighting for a spot in the postseason.
The 76ers are moving the ball better than ever before. Curry and Harris are shooting the ball at a high rate, while Embiid and Simmons have scored most of the team's points.
Thus, the Indiana Pacers will need a big performance by multiple players to pull off this upset. Malcolm Brogdon is listed as questionable, and if he misses the game, it will make this matchup even more lopsided.
Where to watch the Pacers vs 76ers game?
The Indiana Pacers vs Philadelphia 76ers game will be broadcast locally on NBC Sports Philadelphia and FOX Sports Indiana in the US. The game can also be live-streamed on the NBA League Pass.
Also Read: Golden State Warriors: 5 points leaders.
