Sixers vs. Thunder: 3 storylines to watch and how to stream the game

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The 23-14 Sixers are back home and looking to snap a four-game losing streak, their longest of the season.

It doesn’t look like an easy task against the 20-15 Oklahoma City Thunder, winners of five straight games and nine of 10.

Here are the essentials for Monday night’s game:

When: 7 p.m. ET with Sixers Pregame Live at 6:30 p.m.
Where: Wells Fargo Center 
Broadcast: NBC Sports Philadelphia
Live stream: NBCSportsPhiladelphia.com and the NBC Sports MyTeams app

And here are three storylines to watch: 

Getting desperate

When a level-headed veteran like Al Horford uses the word “desperate,” it’s noteworthy.

Though it’s just 37 games into the season, he characterized this game as an important one.

“I don't think our confidence has taken a hit,” he said Sunday, “but we are desperate, we've lost four [straight], so tomorrow we understand that it’s a huge game for us. The good thing for us is that we're at home and that will be a good way to get back on track.”

The Sixers are 16-2 at Wells Fargo Center this season and 7-12 away from home after their 0-4 road trip. 

“This is Joel’s paint” 

As far as providing improved backup center minutes, Horford has been what the Sixers envisioned. Lineups without Embiid actually have a positive net rating for the Sixers this season.

However, lineups with Horford and Embiid together have a 101.2 offensive rating. For context, the Hawks’ 103.3 offensive rating is worst in the NBA.

Horford has averaged just 8.7 points on 36.6 percent shooting over his last 10 games. He’s shooting 33.8 percent from three-point range on four attempts per game. How can he be more effective next to Embiid?

“His coexisting with Joel is quite simple: This is Joel’s paint,” Brett Brown said. “That’s Joel’s paint and everything else has to coexist around that, and that equals Al shooting threes. I believe that his percentage, whatever it might be … doesn’t indicate the capable shooter that he is.”

Injury and roster news 

Matisse Thybulle will miss his seventh straight game with a right knee sprain and bone bruise, though he was a limited participant in Sunday’s practice and a team spokesperson said the rookie is making progress. There is no official timetable for his return.

Two-way player Norvel Pelle and Zhaire Smith, both of whom were with the Sixers for Friday’s game against the Houston Rockets, are with the Delaware Blue Coats. The team has recalled Jonah Bolden. 

For the Thunder, Nerlens Noel is out because of a left ankle sprain. Another former Sixer, Justin Patton, has been recalled from the Oklahoma City Blue.



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