The Philadelphia 76ers had one of their more disappointing losses of the season on Thursday when they committed 21 turnovers in a loss to the Washington Wizards. Now, they will return home looking to erase the memory of that game when they welcome in the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Sixers and the Cavs have already met twice this season with Philadelphia winning both games and they will be looking to continue that streak on Saturday. They will also be looking to remain unbeaten at home on the season as they are 10-0 at the Wells Fargo Center.
It’s now time for the guide to Saturday’s game with your TV guide, injury report, storylines, and a prediction:
How to watch Sixers vs. Cavs:
- Date: Saturday, November 7
- Time: 7:30 p.m. EST
- Location: Wells Fargo Center Philadelphia, PA
- TV: NBATV, NBC Sports Philadelphia
Injury Report
- Sixers: OUT: Joel Embiid(left hip contusion), Josh Richardson(right hamstring tightness)
- Cavaliers: NOT YET SUBMITTED
Storylines
Harris frustrated with turnovers
The Sixers had a winnable game in front of them on Thursday night, but they continued to shoot themselves in the foot with silly mistakes and silly turnovers. Tobias Harris led Philadelphia with 33 points on the night, but he was visibly frustrated by the number of turnovers they accumulated.
“That’s something that’s been hurting us all year too,” Harris added. “Like we’ve known that, we’ve said it in practice that we’ll be better with our turnovers so that’s something we have to key in on going forward.”
Helping stars limit turnovers
Of the 21 turnovers, 15 of those came from Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons, the team’s All-Star leaders. Embiid had eight turnovers that spoiled his 26 points and 21 rebounds stat line and Simmons’ seven turnovers belied his 17 points and 10 assists on the night. Coach Brett Brown was very upset with those numbers and he understands he must help his stars limit those issues.
“We’re always trying to help our two young guys,” said Brown. “I think Jo had eight, Ben had seven. You’re trying to help those guys get better. It’s not going to win anything, it won’t win any game that matters, let alone a regular-season game. It’s not going to put us in any position where we can close out a game. We have to do better in that area and I gotta help them.”
Prediction
As said in the past, the Sixers are just a different team at home. The passionate Philadelphia fans rally behind them and they just seem to play better in all aspects of the game. Without Embiid, the Sixers will have a handful trying to stop Thompson on the glass, but they will be able to play a bit of a faster pace. Expect the Sixers to take some frustration out on a team that had to travel after playing on Friday night.
Pick: Sixers by double-digits
Sixers vs. Cavaliers season series
Game 1 November 12: 98-97 Sixers
Game 2 November 17: 114-95 Sixers
Game 3 December 7:
Game 4 February 26:
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