Two Sixers Starters Probable for Saturday Matinee Against Knicks

Before the Delaware Valley gets buried in snow, the Sixers and New York Knicks will treat everyone to some Saturday afternoon entertainment.

Philadelphia, currently 2-0 against the Knicks this season, listed Joel Embiid as 'probable' on the initial injury report with right nakle injury management. Paul George is also probable with left knee injury management.

The only other two friendlies on the injury report are MarJon Beauchamp (Two-Way) and Johni Broome, who are listed as 'doubtful' due to G League assignments.

On the Knicks' side, Karl-Anthony Towns is 'questionable' with thoracic back spasms. Mohamed Diawara, Ariel Huckporti and Pacome Dadiet are all questionable, as well, due to G League assignments.

Two-way contractors Trey Jemison III, Dillon Jones and Kevin McCullar Jr. have definitively been ruled out due to G League assignments.

The Sixers, 24-19, will be coming off one of their best victories of the season, an overtime thriller over the Houston Rockets.

The Knicks, 26-18, were reeling until a 54-point win over the trying-to-lose Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday.

You look up the standings in the Eastern Conference and it's not at all inconceivable that Philadelphia could catch up to challenge New York for the third seed in the playoff picture. A win on Saturday afternoon would move the Sixers a full game closer to the Knicks and give Philadelphia the tiebreaker over New York, should it come to that at the end of the season.

It is a very important game for both teams in late January.

Something to consider

Thursday's game against the Rockets marked the first time Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, Kelly Oubre Jr., George and Embiid have started together this season. They registered just four possessions together all season prior to that lineup change, and that grouping had success against a long, physical Rockets team.

After the victory, Nick Nurse told reporters that Oubre's insertion into the starting lineup was rooted in "performance". So it would seem reasonable to assume that Oubre will remain in the starting lineup. That would be a look the Knicks have not yet seen from the Sixers this season. So we'll ostensibly have a chance to see how that plays out.

The game is scheduled for 3 p.m., Eastern time, on ABC. So be in your seats with your food and beverage of choice by 3:12, when they actually tip off.

A middle-afternoon game between rivals, what could possibly go wrong?