Philadelphia 76ers vs San Antonio Spurs Prediction & Match Preview - May 2nd, 2021 | NBA Season 2020-21
The Philadelphia 76ers visit the AT&T Center to take on the struggling San Antonio Spurs in an enticing 2020-21 NBA fixture on Sunday.
The 76ers are one win behind the Brooklyn Nets in the Eastern Conference, so they'll retake the first spot if they beat the Spurs. Meanwhile, the San Antonio Spurs face the toughest remaining schedule of all teams in the league. They have lost their last two games and face the Western Conference-leading Utah Jazz in back-to-back games after this match.
Match Details
Fixture: Philadelphia 76ers vs San Antonio Spurs | NBA Season 2020-21.
Date & Time: Sunday, May 2nd, 2021; 8:00 PM ET (Monday, May 3rd; 5:30 AM IST).
Venue: AT&T Center, San Antonio, TX.
San Antonio Spurs Preview
The San Antonio Spurs are coming off a heartbreaking loss to Boston Celtics in their last outing.
They held a 32-point lead by half time, which prompted many fans in Boston's TD Garden to leave the arena, as they thought the game's outcome was a foregone conclusion. However, Jayson Tatum caught fire and dropped 60 points to rally the Celtics to an overtime victory.
Due to their tough fixture schedule, the San Antonio Spurs are expected to drop down the conference standings. They are tenth at the moment and face the Utah Jazz and Phoenix Suns twice apiece in their next ten games, along with facing the Brooklyn Nets and the Milwaukee Bucks once.
Fortunately, the upcoming fixtures are against teams who have already clinched their playoff berths, so these teams might rest their stars and not put much effort in winning games. That would give the San Antonio Spurs a chance to grab some much-needed wins.
Key Player - DeMar DeRozan
DeMar DeRozan has been incredible lately. He has dropped 30+ points in three of his last four games and is the only player averaging over 20 points per game in the San Antonio Spurs' roster.
Many believe he was snubbed of an All-Star selection this year, as his numbers have been consistent, and he has led this team with a young team and no other All-Stars to a play-in spot.
San Antonio Spurs Predicted Lineup
Point Guard - Dejounte Murray | Shooting Guard - Devin Vassell | Small Forward - DeMar DeRozan | Power Forward - Keldon Johnson | Center - Jakob Poeltl.
Philadelphia 76ers Preview
The Philadelphia 76ers snapped their four-game losing skid against the OKC Thunder and have won every game since then. They swept the Atlanta Hawks in their two-game mini-series, thanks to Seth Curry and Dwight Howard's performances.
However, the 76ers have grappled with injuries lately. Ben Simmons, Tobias Harris and Joel Embiid have all been in and out of the lineup. However, they finally have a healthy lineup again and will look to get back to winning ways.
The Philadelphia 76ers have clinched a playoff berth and can now prepare for the postseason. If the Eastern Conference standings end up the way they are now, the 76ers will take on the Miami Heat in the first round.
Key Player - Ben Simmons
Although Joel Embiid is their leading scorer and MVP candidate, Ben Simmons recently returned to the lineup and will look to maintain his efficiency at both ends of the floor.
His defense is invaluable, and the Philadelphia 76ers cannot afford to have Simmons rusty. He is a 'Defensive Player of the Year' candidate and is a strong contender of winning it, compared to Utah Jazz's Rudy Gobert.
Also Read: Is Ben Simmons making a good case for the Defensive Player Of The Year award? | 2020-21 NBA season.
Philadelphia 76ers Predicted Lineup
Point Guard - Ben Simmons | Shooting Guard - Seth Curry | Small Forward - Danny Green | Power Forward - Tobias Harris | Center - Joel Embiid.
76ers vs Spurs Match Prediction
The Philadelphia 76ers have a significant advantage over the San Antonio Spurs in this matchup.
Not many players have had an answer to Joel Embiid's dominance in the post, so Spurs' center Jakob Poeltl might not stand a chance. Moreover, the 76ers have their lineup entirely healthy, and they might come out guns blazing as they look to grab the first seed.
Where to watch the 76ers vs Spurs game?
The Philadelphia 76ers vs San Antonio Spurs game will be locally televised on Bally Sports Southwest - San Antonio and NBC Sports Philadelphia. The match can also be streamed live with an NBA League Pass.
Also Read: Would the Philadelphia 76ers beat the LA Lakers if they were to meet in the 2020-21 NBA Finals?