Five Series to Look Out for in Upcoming Sixers' Season
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The Philadelphia 76ers start their 2022-23 NBA campaign in a little over a month when they visit TD Garden and take on the Boston Celtics on Thursday, October 18.
Throughout the other 71 games, here are the matchups to look out for:
Brooklyn Nets (November 22, January 22, February 11, April 9)
With what has to be one of the most anticipated games throughout the entire league, the newest chapter in the Nets-Sixers rivalry has been brewing as of late due to the trade which sent Ben Simmons to the Big Apple for James Harden.
Last season, the Sixers dropped the season series against the Nets with a 1-3 record, with their only win coming in a scrappy visit to the Barclay's Center in late December, with Joel Embiid scoring 34 points and netting seven rebounds.
On November 22, Ben Simmons returns to the Wells Fargo Center, an arena he hasn't played in since Game Seven of the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Atlanta Hawks on June 20, 2021, for the first meeting between the two Eastern Conference contenders.
Boston Celtics (October 18, February 8, February 25, April 4)
As explained earlier, the Sixers open their season away as they take on the Boston Celtics in what will be a reheated rivalry.
Last season, the Sixers ended their campaign with two wins and two losses against the defending Eastern Conference Champions, with two of those games being separated by less than ten points.
Their last meeting ended in a blowout with the then in-form Celtics defeating Doc Rivers' side 135-87, as Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown combined for 57 points. This meeting was the first game for the Sixers' acquisition of Harden, so the season opener may look more contested.
Miami Heat (February 27, March 1, April 6)
The Sixers will battle the Miami Heat on three separate occasions in the upcoming season in what will be a reunion of last year's Eastern Conference Semifinals.
That series saw Philadelphia's playoff aspirations come to an end after Joel Embiid battled an injury he sustained in the first round against the Toronto Raptors. Although the series was lost 4-2, there were still streaks of light for the Sixers as both Tyrese Maxey and Harden averaged roughly 20 points.
Former Sixer Jimmy Butler will return to a city which embraced him when he arrived back in 2018 on February 27 and April 6, 2023.
New York Knicks (November 5, December 25, February 6, February 11)
The New York Knicks and Sixers season series has a special fixture that doesn't come every year as the two will play on Christmas day.
The last time the Sixers played on Christmas was back in 2019 when the Wells Fargo Center hosted Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks, defeating them 122-109, after Embiid and Tobias Harris combined for 53 points, while Furkan Korkmaz shot 4/5 from three-point range off the bench.
In the first half of the season, New York came out swinging as they defeated Philadelphia in both their meetings during Oct. and Nov. before Rivers' side took it back and tied the season series 2-2.
Milwaukee Bucks (October 20, November 18, March 4, April 2)
One team which have always proven to be a challenge for the 76ers is the Bucks, who they'll play four times throughout the season, with two matches coming at the beginning of the season, and two in the latter part.
The two have always been at each other's throats for the higher seeds in the Eastern Conference, but as of late, Mike Budenholzer's side has come out on top, winning two of three matches last year.
On another level, the matches always prove to be a highlight reel for MVP candidates Embiid and Antetokounmpo, with the two having nearly identical averages last season, with The Process averaging 0.7 more points than the Greek Freak.
Declan Harris contributes to All76ers, a Sports Illustrated channel. You can follow him on Twitter: @DecIanH.
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