Philadelphia 76ers vs New Orleans Pelicans Prediction & Match Preview - October 20th, 2021 | NBA Season 2021-22
The Philadelphia 76ers will take on the New Orleans Pelicans in their 2021-22 NBA season opener at the Smoothie King Center on Wednesday.
The 76ers are expected to make a deep playoff run this season despite the controversy surrounding Ben Simmons. Meanwhile, the Pelicans are in a semi-transitional phase and have modest expectations.
Match Details
Fixture - Philadelphia 76ers vs New Orleans Pelicans | NBA season 2021-22.
Date & Time - Wednesday, October 20th, 2021; 8:00 PM ET (Thursday, October 21st; 5:30 AM IST).
Venue - Smoothie King Center, New Orleans.
Philadelphia 76ers Preview
The Philadelphia 76ers are coming off a 112-108 loss against the Detroit Pistons, so head coach Doc Rivers will be desperate to return to winning ways. However, a loss in that game is understandable, as Joel Embiid, Tobias Harris and Danny Green were rested. Ben Simmons also didn't feature in that game, and is also doubtful for the season opener as he works himself back to fitness.
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Simmons, Shake Milton, Matisse Thybulle, and even Tobias Harris' participation is in doubt, which means there will be added responsibility on Embiid to carry his team to a win. He will be well supported by shooting guard Seth Curry, who was phenomenal in the 2021 NBA playoffs.
Key Player - Joel Embiid
Joel Embiid was in phenomenal form last season, averaging 28 points, ten rebounds and two assists per game.
He was one of the finalists for the MVP award, which eventually went to Nikola Jokic. Embiid will be desperate to lay his hands on the Maurice Podoloff trophy this season. His quest for the prestigious trophy will start with Wednesday's game against the New Orleans Pelicans.
Embiid has become a two-way beast in recent years, and he is likely to go off for at least 30 points against Brandon Ingram and co.
Philadelphia 76ers Predicted Lineup
G - Tyrese Maxey; G - Seth Curry; F - Danny Green; F - Furkan Korkmaz; C - Joel Embiid.
New Orleans Pelicans Preview
The New Orleans Pelicans will begin the new season with a new head coach at the helm. They parted ways with Stan Van Gundy after an underwhelming campaign. Former Phoenix Suns assistant Willie Green has taken Van Gundy's place. The Pelicans are beginning a new era with Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram as their star players.
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The New Orleans Pelicans are coming off a 127-96 loss to the Utah Jazz, ending their preseason with two losses and a win. The Pelicans shot poorly from downtown in the game against the Jazz, so Green will hope that his team is more efficient from the field in their season opener.
Key Player - Brandon Ingram
Zion Williamson has been sidelined with injury for Wednesday, so Brandon Ingram will need to step up in his absence.
Ingram has been phenomenal since joining the New Orleans Pelicans, racking up an All-Star selection in the 2019-20 season. He averaged 23 points, five rebounds, and five assists last season, and is one of the most improved players in the league.
Brandon Ingram is expected to lead the Pelicans in scoring this season, but will have his task cut out against a strong Philadelphia 76ers defense.
New Orleans Pelicans Predicted Lineup
G - Devonte' Graham; G - Nickeil Alexander-Walker; F - Garrett Temple; F - Brandon Ingram; C - Jonas Valanciunas.
76ers vs Pelicans Match Prediction
Both the teams are not at full strength, as the 76ers are missing Ben Simmons, while the Pelicans are without Zion Williamson. However, Doc Rivers can still afford to field a relatively strong side that should be able to take care of business against the New Orleans Pelicans team.
Where to watch 76ers vs Pelicans?
Live coverage will be available on NBC Sports Philadelphia and Bally Sports New Orleans. The game will also be aired live on the NBA League Pass.
Also Check Out: Complete NBA TV Schedule for 2021-22 Season