Game Preview: Thunder set to face Sixers for first time all season

The Oklahoma City Thunder (20-32) take on one of the best teams in the NBA Saturday night in the Philadelphia 76ers (35-16). The Sixers currently hold the No. 2 seed in the East headlined by their MVP candidate Joel Embiid as well as a defense stopper in Ben Simmons.

Last time these teams were set to match up in Oklahoma City, the game was a late-scratch due to COVID-19 protocol. Now, two teams who are trending in different directions will play for the first time in the 2020-21 season. Currently on a five-game losing streak, the Thunder will once again be with a pretty depleted roster due to injury in this tough matchup.

ODDS:

The Thunder enter the day as 12-point underdogs to the Sixers. The total over/under is 111 points.

KEYS TO THE GAME:

As Embiid eases back into the lineup coming off a recent injury, he’s already worked his way back into the MVP conversation. One of the most dominant bigs the NBA has seen in the past few years, Embiid will be a tough cover for young Thunder centers Moses Brown and Tony Bradley.

READ MORE:

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Brown and Bradley have played a combined 129 NBA minutes to their point in their careers and will take on a difficult challenged for even the most seasoned NBA bigs.

RECORDS:

Oklahoma City Thunder (20-32) vs. Philadelphia 76ers (35-17)

WHEN:

Saturday, April 10, 2021 at 8:00 PM CT

LOCATION:

Chesapeake Energy Arena, Oklahoma City, OK

TV/RADIO:

Bally Sports Oklahoma, NBA League Pass, 98.1 FM The Sports Animal

FINAL WORD:

In the past two games, the Thunder has seen three of its young core score 20+ points in Aleksej Pokusevski, Theo Maledon and Ty Jerome. At this point, the question becomes which of their young pieces will break out tonight against Philadelphia?