The Sixers put up a good fight against the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday night, despite being limited to just nine available players. Wilson Chandler and Mike Muscala are both available tonight, although Chandler will be on a 20-minute restriction. Shake Milton and Demetrius Jackson have also been called up from the G-League and practiced with the team in Miami. Here are three storylines to watch for in tonight's game.
Offensive rebounds/second chance Points
Led by one of the best rebounders in the game right now in Hassan Whiteside, Miami is one of the top five offensive rebounding teams in the NBA, so it should be no surprise that second chance points are their bread and butter. Currently tied for fourth in the NBA, Miami is averaging 16.4 second chance points per game. The Sixers are the third-best defensive rebounding team in the NBA, so expect a battle on the glass tonight.
Joel Embiid vs. Hassan Whiteside
Speaking of a battle on the glass, there are just certain players that Embiid gets up for, and with the history between him and Whiteside, Monday could certainly be one of those nights. It all started in last year's preseason, after the two had some fun on Twitter, and then carried into the regular season after Embiid said Whiteside tried to hit him in the back (remember the infamous, "I won't forget that.") Tonight will be their first meeting on the court since the Sixers eliminated the Miami Heat in last year's playoffs (and also since Embiid's most recent social media jab on Whiteside).
Integration of Wilson Chandler
Chandler will be starting at the four tonight, alongside Ben Simmons, Markelle Fultz, JJ Redick and Joel Embiid. Brett Brown intimated that Chandler is going to be a lot more than just a role player for the Sixers this year once he's fully healthy, and hinted that we're going to be seeing a lot of him at the four. Granted it's still going to take some time for Chandler to pick up all of the new offensive and defensive concepts, but I'll be imagining how Chandler will fit in at the four in the rotation, once Jimmy Butler is officially on the roster.
Philadelphia 76ers
Complete coverage of the Philadelphia 76ers and their rivals in the NBA from NBC Sports Philadelphia.
When: 7:30 p.m. EST
Where: American Airlines Arena
Broadcast: NBC Sports Philadelphia (Pregame Live starts at 7 p.m. EST)
Live stream: NBCSportsPhiladelphia.com and the MyTeams by NBC Sports app
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