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Two Eastern Conference teams are set to face off in Florida, eager for a victory. The Philadelphia 76ers are away to challenge the Orlando Magic in what promises to be an intense matchup. Philadelphia faced a 119-113 loss against Miami on Christmas night and couldn't cover the two-point underdog status. Meanwhile, Orlando played against Washington on the road the previous night, making this their second game in a back-to-back series.
The Magic secured a 117-110 victory over the Pacers as 2.5-point underdogs in their recent game, showing resilience. In their head-to-head history, the Magic hold an 80-49 advantage overall, but the 76ers have dominated lately, winning 11 of their last 12 meetings. Their most recent clash resulted in a 105-94 victory for the 76ers on February 1, 2023.
Taking a brief break over the holidays, the Oklahoma City Thunder had Sunday and Monday off and played just one game in four days. However, they're now set for a challenging matchup against the Knicks on Wednesday night, the second leg of a back-to-back. So far this season, the Thunder have a 2-0 record playing the second game of back-to-backs, clinching wins against Detroit at home by 12 points and Portland on the road by a staggering 43 points.
Last season, the Thunder struggled in the second game of back-to-backs, finishing 5-8 overall, including a 2-2 record at home. Before their recent game against Minnesota, the Thunder had been in good form, winning seven of their last ten games. Notably, All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been a standout performer, averaging over 30 points per game this season.
Philadelphia recently faced the Miami Heat on Christmas night without Joel Embiid, resulting in a loss despite their previous victories. Before this game, the 76ers had won six of their last seven matches and were second in the Atlantic Division, trailing the Celtics by three games. Despite standing third in the Eastern Conference, they maintained a comfortable 3.5-game lead over the seventh-place Cleveland Cavaliers, securing a guaranteed playoff spot.
During the Miami game, Philadelphia initially led by nine but struggled, finding themselves down by 14 at halftime and trailing by as many as 21 in the third quarter. Despite a comeback to tie the game after three quarters, they ultimately fell short, unable to close the gap further than four points in the remainder of the game. Despite Tobias Harris leading the team with 27 points, seven rebounds, and six assists, the 76ers struggled with a 42.6% shooting accuracy and lost the rebounding battle 56-36.
Across the season, the 76ers have showcased strong offensive capabilities, ranking fourth in the league with 122 points per game. They also stand out in rebounding, securing the ninth spot with an average of 44.9 rebounds per contest, and in assists, averaging 26 per game, placing 15th in the league. Defensively, they rank sixth, allowing an average of 111.2 points per game. Joel Embiid has been a standout performer for the team, averaging 35 points, 11.7 rebounds, and six assists per game.
Apart from Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, Tobias Harris, Kelly Oubre Jr., and De’Anthony Melton contribute significantly. Additionally, players like Nicolas Batum, Robert Covington, Paul Reed, Jaden Springer, Danuel House Jr., Furkan Korkmaz, Patrick Beverley, Marcus Morris Sr., and Mo Bamba form vital rotation pieces for coach Nick Nurse. The team's collective field goal percentage stands at 48.3%, ranking ninth in the league.
In terms of three-point performance, the 76ers rank 17th in threes per game (12.4) and an impressive fourth in three-point shooting accuracy (38.1%). Batum and Embiid, who missed recent games due to injuries, are questionable for the upcoming games, prompting attention for any updates on their availability before tip-off.
