Preview: 76ers host the Minnesota Timberwolves on the second night of a back-to-back in South Philly

To say the very least, last night at the Wells Fargo Center was eventful. The 76ers managed to take down Giannis and the Milwaukee Bucks 110-102. Joel Embiid and the bench crew secured a gritty win with James Harden and Tobias Harris both out, while Maxey exited the game early with an ankle injury.Â
Embiid scored 32 points while adding 11 rebounds, eight assists, a steal, and three blocks to the stat sheet to lead the 76ers offense.Â
Originally tweeted by Drew Smith (@drewmsmith) on November 19, 2022.
Embiid over the last 5 Games:
- 32 PTS, 11 REB, 8 AST, 3 BLK
- 59 PTS, 11 REB, 8 AST, 7 BLK
- 42 PTS, 11 REB, 6 AST, 2 BLK
- 26 PTS, 13 REB, 2 AST , 1 BLK
- 33 PTS, 10 REB, 5 AST, 1 BLK
Maxey got off to a tremendous start as well, scoring 24 points on 9-of-12 shooting before getting his feet tangled with Jevon Carter while driving to the basket late in the second quarter. He was taken to the locker room and immediately received an x-ray, which came back negative. He’s scheduled to get an MRI today.
Luckily, the 76ers were able to rally without Maxey, thanks to Embiid and strong bench performances from Georges Niang and Shake Milton. Niang scored 17 points on 6-for-11 shooting. He went 4-for-8 from beyond the arc. Shake Milton was also extremely efficient, scoring 15 points on 6-of-12 shooting.Â
Both players will likely see an uptick in minutes again tonight with the uncertainty surrounding Harris and Maxey’s availability.
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Say Hello to the Minnesota Timberwolves
Minnesota will enter tonight on a two-game winning streak, looking to get back to the .500 mark for the first time in two weeks.
The T-Wolves got off to a very strong start this season, winning four of their first six games before losing six out of their next seven. Over the last week, they have been able to bounce back with a pair of road wins, beating both the Cavs and Magic.
Tonight will be the last of a four game road trip for Minnesota before they return home to face the Miami Heat on Monday night.
The Timberwolves can undoubtedly put points on the board. Anthony Edwards scored 35 in their win over the Magic, while Karl Anthony Towns added 30 of his own. They also have Rudy Gobert, who leads the NBA in rebounds per game this season and added 16 points and eight boards in the win at Orlando.
We’ll see if the Philadelphia defense, that ranks number four in the NBA in points allowed at 106.5 per game, can slow down the T-Wolves offense tonight.
Minnesota Timberwolves @ Philadelphia 76ers – 7:30PM – Wells Fargo Center – Philadelphia, PA
TEAM | SPREAD | MONEY | TOTAL |
Minnesota Timberwolves | -3 (-110) | -156 | O 217.5 (-110) |
Philadelphia 76ers | +3 (-110) | +126 | U 217.5 (-110) |
Look, it was one hell of a win last night in Philadelphia without Harden, Harris, and Maxey. No one is doubting that in the slightest. However, assuming the 76ers are shorthanded again tonight, then I beating a very talented Minnesota team is going to be a tough task. I hate turning a blind eye on a home underdog especially when that dog includes Joel Embiid playing basketball, but I think the 76ers drop tonight’s game.Â
Prediction: Minnesota Timberwolves -3 (-110)