New Orleans Pelicans vs Philadelphia 76ers Prediction & Match Preview - January 25th, 2022 | NBA Season 2021-22

The New Orleans Pelicans will meet with the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday for the first time since their NBA season-opening encounter. New Orleans will be hoping to even the series on Tuesday at Wells Fargo Center in Philly.

Monday’s game between the New Orleans Pelicans and Philadelphia 76ers is a resumption of the match that was canceled last December 19 due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Since the postponement, the Pelicans have gone 8-7 and have usually been competitive in their losses.

In the meantime, the Philadelphia 76ers have gone 12-4 in the same span. Despite a lineup beset with injuries and continuous trips to health and safety protocols, they’ve been quite impressive. Joel Embiid has been playing like an MVP, lifting the 76ers to unexpected heights.

Philly will once more come in shorthanded as Seth Curry, Danny Green and Shake Milton will be unavailable due to their respective injuries. Ben Simmons, who hasn’t played a game this season, is still in limbo. Once more, the Philadelphia 76ers will count on their superstar big man to bring them home.

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Match Details

Fixture: New Orleans Pelicans vs Philadelphia 76ers | 2021-22 NBA season

Date & Time: Tuesday, January 25th; 7:00 PM ET (Wednesday, January 26th; 5:30 AM IST)

Venue: Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA

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New Orleans Pelicans Preview

Jonas Valanciunas has been outstanding for the New Orleans Pelicans this season. [Photo: Pelican Brief]

In back-to-back wins against the New York Knicks and the Indiana Pacers, the New Orleans Pelicans featured six players in double-figures. They have also totally dominated inside scoring in both games, particularly against the Pacers, where they had a 64-32 advantage.

The New Orleans Pelicans have been more than decent this month, mainly due to the huge strides they've taken in improving their offense. In the last 10 games, their offensive rating has climbed to 111.9 which puts them just a hair below the top five in the league. Their once-moribund offense is now suddenly one of the best in the league.

However, their defense has remained miserable, which has been the biggest reason for their losses. If they can shore up that defense, then they can become spoilers for unsuspecting teams.

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Key Player - Jonas Valanciunas

The New Orleans Pelicans big man is averaging the highest-scoring norm of his career except for one season. In 42 games, he has posted 18.4 points, 12 rebounds and career highs in assists (2.4 APG) and steals (.5). From just a purely inside operator, he has expanded his range to the three-point line where he is shooting 41.7%.

Jonas Valanciunas’ reliability inside and out has allowed the other players on the New Orleans Pelicans roster to be more comfortable. Josh Hart and Devonte Graham have thrived on offense because of Valanciunas' versatility.

Without Brandon Ingram in the lineup, the Pelicans will count even more on their bruising big man to carry the team.

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New Orleans Pelicans Predicted Lineup

G - Devonte Graham | G - Josh Hart | F - Garett Temple | F - Herbert Jones | C - Jonas Valanciunas

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Philadelphia 76ers Preview

Joel Embiid is still waiting for someone in Philly's roster to consistently support him. [Photo: CelticsBlog]

The Philadelphia 76ers struggled badly against the youthful San Antonio Spurs but still managed to squeak out a win. Unlike their game against the heavily-shorthanded LA Clippers, Joel Embiid and crew did just enough to hold up the aggressive Spurs.

Embiid needs a team-mate who can help him in a big way. Unless they can get something for Ben Simmons, the help will have to come from within the roster. Unfortunately, the lineup has been crippled with injuries. Tyrese Maxey, Tobias Harris and Furkan Korkmaz have provided decent help, but have lacked consistency.

Harris has to step up. The numbers looked solid against the Spurs, where he finished with 18 points, 11 rebounds and five assists. However, he just seems to lack the aggressiveness and determination to become Embiid’s undisputed best help.

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Key Player - Joel Embiid

Joel Embiid is the biggest reason why the Philadelphia 76ers are competing and playing the way they are now. It can be argued that no one has played better than him in the last two months. He is a walking mismatch that no team has an answer for. The win against Spurs showed Embiid at his best.

For the 12th consecutive road game this season, JoJo has reached at least 30 points. Considering how consistent the double-teams have been, it’s almost unbelievable he’s able to put up monster numbers for the Philadelphia 76ers.

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Philadelphia 76ers Predicted Lineup

G - Tyrese Maxey | G - Charlie Brown Jr. | F - Furkan Korkmaz | F - Tobias Harris | C - Joel Embiid

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Pelicans vs 76ers Match Prediction

The New Orleans Pelicans will be playing the second game of a back-to-back. They are also likely to miss Brandon Ingram due to a sprained right ankle. Although Jonas Valanciunas has been playing well, he will be going up against probably the best player in the NBA right now.

The Philadelphia 76ers could end the Pelicans’ two-game winning run.

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Where to watch the Pelicans vs 76ers game

The NBA League Pass will stream the game live. Local coverage of the matchup is available via NBC Sports Philadelphia and Bally Sports New Orleans.

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