To use Sixers head coach Doc Rivers’ words, there’s some “extra stuff” to consider for his team’s game Thursday night against the Nets.
There’s also 48 minutes of basketball to be played amid the considerable attention on Ben Simmons’ return to Philadelphia. In addition to Simmons (return to competition reconditioning/back soreness), who will be on Brooklyn’s bench, LaMarcus Aldridge (right hip impingement), Joe Harris (left ankle surgery) and Danny Green (left middle finger laceration) are out with injuries.
Here are the essentials for Thursday’s game:
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- When: 7:30 p.m. ET
- Where: Wells Fargo Center
- Broadcast: TNT
And here are storylines to watch:
Can either team manage consistent stops?
The Nets scored 132 points and got 50 from Kyrie Irving on 19 field-goal attempts Tuesday in a win over the Hornets. Even with James Harden gone, they present loads of tricky defensive questions.
NBA
“Kevin Durant is elite,” Rivers said Wednesday. “Kyrie is elite. When you give them the ball, they’re really tough to guard. And there’s no secrets to that. We’ve got some elite guys here, too, and there’s probably no secrets to that. Both teams are still probably trying to figure out stuff. They’re had guys in and out all year. Us too, with the trade.
“It’s tough to have a real measure either way. But it’s still good to play them. It’s good to play all these teams. I think you learn a little bit at a time.”
For the Sixers, Tobias Harris will again play a key role defensively after a strong effort Monday on Bulls star DeMar DeRozan. If Durant starts out sinking contested jumpers over Harris, how aggressively will the Sixers help? And can Matisse Thybulle contain Irving while also finding spots to cut and score on the other end?
We imagine the Sixers will aim to target perceived matchup advantages, including Joel Embiid against former teammate Andre Drummond. Isolating Harden on smaller Nets guards such as Irving, Seth Curry and Patty Mills also sounds like a good idea.
How will Harden fare vs. Brooklyn?
Though Harden said Monday this game doesn’t mean anything extra to him, it appears that’s not a common sentiment.
In a strange way, Harden has perhaps flown relatively under the radar locally because of Simmons. Things weren’t as protracted as with Simmons in Philadelphia, but Harden’s Nets tenure also didn’t end on anything close to a good note. His last Brooklyn appearance was a four-point performance in a Feb. 2 loss to the Kings. He then sat out with left hamstring tightness until his impressive Sixers debut on Feb. 25.
The 32-year-old has been great as a Sixer so far; a win over the Nets would be his sixth win in six outings with the team. Harden hasn’t had a massive scoring game, but he’s averaged 24.6 points and 12.4 assists while not yet committing more than three turnovers in a game. Unlike Simmons, he’ll make an on-court impact Thursday night.
Battle of the benches
While DeAndre Jordan won’t need to worry about Aldridge’s pick-and-pop skill, he’ll likely contend with Nic Claxton, an athletic backup big man.
Mills, who’s posting a career-best 12.6 points per game and hitting 41.6 percent of his three-pointers, can change games with his shooting. Limiting his open looks will be a significant part of the Sixers trying to play Brooklyn even (or better, of course) when Embiid sits.
Green’s absence should ensure continued rotation minutes for Isaiah Joe, who’s made 33.1 percent of his threes in his second NBA season. Joe knows Harden will be glad to tee him up.
“He does an excellent job finding shooters,” Joe said. “Nine times out of 10, he’s doing the work for you. You’ve just got to knock down the open shot. I think you see how Georges Niang and Tyrese Maxey benefit off of it. They get a lot of wide-open shots, and they’re shooting a really good percentage. And now that you’re cracking the rotation, it allows you to be able to knock down those same shots.”