Game Preview- Sixers (12-12) vs Lakers (10-14)

After a three-game road trip, the 76ers return home as they begin a season-long seven-game homestand. Tonight, the Sixers host the Los Angeles Lakers for the first of two matchups this season, kicking off the longest home stand of the campaign. The Lakers will host the 76ers in game two on January 15th in LA.

Philadelphia got point guard James Harden back on Monday in Houston after missing 14 games due to a right foot tendon strain, but the team dropped a tough one, 132-123 in a double overtime loss. Harden returned to score 21 points in 38-plus minutes, adding four rebounds and seven assists. The 10-time All-Star struggled from the floor in his first game back shooting 4 for 19 from the field, 4 for 11 from the three-point line and committed a team-high seven turnovers.

After missing over a month of action, it's to be expected that there will be a process of getting back into the groove of things for any player. Joel Embiid led all scorers with a game-high 39 points on 12 of 21 shooting, converting 14 of 17 from the free throw line before fouling out in the first overtime session. Embiid added seven boards, three assists, two blocks, two steals and five turnovers.

Tobias Harris finished second on the team in scoring dropping 27 in a game-high 46-plus minutes of play. Harris went 9 for 15 from the floor but it was his three-point shooting that was a positive for the team, helping them stay in the game as they tried to collect the win. A huge development for the 76ers if he can continue to shoot at such a high level. The 10-year vet is now 12 for 14 over the last two games. This shooting could really open things up for his game. Shake Milton was the only other Sixer to score in double-figures with 11 as he returned to a reserve role now that Harden is back.

Key reserve and the team's top three-point shooter by percentage at 43 percent, Georges Niang, missed Monday’s game with a sore right foot and will also be out of tonight’s contest as he continues to rest his foot.

The Lakers are in the midst of a six-game road trip with this matchup being game five of their trek East. They last played on Wednesday night in Toronto, falling to the Raptors, 126-113. In the loss, the Lakers posted seven players in double-figures led by point guard Dennis Schroder with 18. Thomas Bryant and Russell Westbrook each scored 16 in defeat. As a team, the Lakers got to the foul line a game-high 35 times, making 32... good for 91 percent.

Los Angeles played without stars Anthony Davis who was dealing with a non-Covid illness and LeBron James who missed the game due to left ankle soreness. Both Davis and James are good to go tonight versus the 76ers and will be in the starting lineup. Davis leads the team in scoring at 27 a night, that’s good for tenth in the NBA and rebounding at 12.3 per outing which is tops in the league. In his 20th NBA season, James has played in 17 games averaging 25.8 points, nine rebounds and 6.4 assists. 

James turns 38 at the end of the month and is still going strong for someone who has played for so many years and going to eight consecutive NBA Finals appearances. Simply a remarkable career. Both James and Davis were announced as members of the NBA’s 75th anniversary team last season. The Lakers are led by first year head coach Darvin Ham.

James is second All-Time in scoring at 37,501 – only behind Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar who’s number one with 38,387 points.