Philadelphia 76ers vs Indiana Pacers Prediction & Match Preview - December 18th, 2020 | NBA Preseason 2020-21
The Philadelphia 76ers and the Indiana Pacers, who have played a few games in the NBA preseason, face each other before the regular NBA season kicks off on December 22nd.
Match Details
Fixture: Philadelphia 76ers vs Indiana Paces - NBA Preseason Game
Date & Time: Friday, December 18th, 2020 - 6 PM ET (Saturday, December 19th, 4:30 AM IST)
Venue: Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN.
The Indiana Pacers lost their first two matches in the preseason against the Cleveland Cavaliers whereas the Philadelphia 76ers won their first preseason game against the Boston Celtics.
Indiana Pacers Preview
The Indiana Pacers have been off to a rough start in the NBA preseason. Seven of their players are out due to injuries while their star shooting guard Victor Oladipo looks out of sorts.
Oladipo scored a combined 15 points in both games, doing so on 23% shooting while going 2-10 from the three-point line. However, Domantas Sabonis is playing pretty well in the preseason. He averaged a double-double in those two games combining for 34 points.
However, after two preseason games on the road, the Indiana Pacers will have home court advantage, which could be quite a handful.
Key Player - Victor Oladipo
Victor Oladipo was the subject of many NBA trade rumors in the offseason. However, he quashed the same by issuing a statement regarding his desire to stay on with the franchise.
Nevertheless, a lot of the attention is going to be on Victor Oladipo and his ability to lift the Indiana Pacers' offense enough to win their first NBA title.
Indiana Pacers' Predicted Lineup
G Aaron Holiday, G Victor Oladipo, G Malcolm Brogdon, F Domantas Sabonis, C Myles Turner.
Philadelphia 76ers Preview
The Philadelphia 76ers are looking to conquer the Eastern Conference and possibly the NBA Finals this year. Their new front office led by Daryl Morey revamped the franchise's roster and also hired a new head coach in Doc Rivers.
The primary issue with the Philadelphia 76ers' offense has been their inability to shoot and space the floor. However, after some significant off-season moves, the roster now features shooters surrounding Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid. Moreover, many analysts have applauded the Philadelphia 76ers for acquiring Seth Curry and Danny Green.
The team won their first preseason game against the Boston Celtics and are trying out various strategies with their new lineup before the regular season starts.
Key Player - Ben Simmons
The Philadelphia 76ers relies a lot on Ben Simmons for their offense and defense. The All-Star point guard has many tricks up his sleeve but lacks the ability to make a jump shot.
The Philadelphia 76ers have often struggled because the defense gives Simmons space but collapses in the post, which leads to the team getting less room to operate.
However, Ben Simmons is improving his jumper and apparently goes to a sports psychologist to improve his confidence in taking three-pointers. Nevertheless, a lot of eyes are going to be on Simmons and proficiency with the three-point shot.
Philadelphia 76ers' Predicted Lineup
G Ben Simmons, G Seth Curry, F Danny Green, F Tobias Harris, C Joel Embiid.
76ers vs Pacers Match Prediction
The Philadelphia 76ers are heavy favorites over the Indiana Pacers and will likely win this preseason game. The Indiana Pacers need to improve their shooting and offense rotations to win this preseason matchup and make a mark in the regular season.
Victor Oladipo and Seth Curry will likely get the most minutes for their respective teams. The 76ers, who have a revamped offense with new players and a head coach, will try various rotations and strategies before the new NBA season begins.
Where to watch 76ers vs Pacers?
The Philadelphia 76ers vs Indiana Pacers match will be locally broadcast on Fox Sports Indiana and NBC Sports Philadelphia. International fans can live stream the game on the NBA League Pass.
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