Washington Wizards vs Philadelphia 76ers Prediction & Match Preview - December 23rd, 2020 | NBA Regular Season 2020-21
There are a total of 13 games on the 23rd of December, 2020, and one matchup which will attract the maximum is the Washington Wizards going up against Philadelphia 76ers. These two Eastern Conference teams have made a number of changes during the NBA offseason, whether that required overhauling the management or restructuring the roster.
Match Details
Fixture: Washington Wizards vs Philadelphia 76ers - NBA Regular Season Game
Date & Time: Wednesday, December 23rd, 2020 - 7 PM ET (Thursday, December 24th, 5:30 AM IST)
Venue: Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA
Check out the complete 2020-21 NBA schedule right here.
The Washington Wizards enter the 2020-21 hoping to end their playoff drought, while the Philadelphia 76ers will be eager to get to the NBA Finals. With the arrival of Doc Rivers in Philadelphia and Russell Westbrook in Washington, the matchup on Wednesday promises to be a thrilling on between two teams, eager to impress their fan bases with new recruits.
Philadelphia 76ers Preview
The Philadelphia 76ers are hoping to cross the Eastern Conference hurdle this year and possibly win the NBA title. Over the last 2 months, the 76ers managed to hire a new coach in Doc Rivers and a new president of basketball operations, Daryl Morey. With such major changes taking place in the management, it was inevitable the changes in the roster.
Daryl Morey acquired Danny Green and Seth Curry, which to a major extent should solve their shooting woes. The Philadelphia 76ers also signed Dwight Howard, which got them a replacement big man when Joel Embiid is off the floor.
Ben Simmons' lack of a three-point shot collapses the defense in the post and gives Embiid less room to operate in, leading to a stagnation in the Philadelphia 76ers offense. The acquisition of Curry and Green potentially solves that issue, given Doc Rivers a perfect opportunity to maximum the output from his two superstars.
Key Player - Seth Curry
Philadelphia 76ers new signing Seth Curry is often overshadowed by his elder brother, Stephen Curry. He is an incredible shooter and has also developed decent playmaking skills. His underrated passing skills and the threat of his three-point shooting often leaves defenders missing open cutters and runners.
This is the first time Seth Curry will be starting on a championship team and given his role , it won't be surprising to see maximum eyeballs on him. Analysts and pundits have applauded the Philadelphia 76ers on their acquisition of elite shooters, who can ease the flow of offense unlike last year.
Philadelphia 76ers' Predicted Lineup
G Ben Simmons, G Seth Curry, F Danny Green, F Tobias Harris, C Joel Embiid
Washington Wizards Preview
The Washington Wizards are going to get a lot more attention this season than the past few years. Their blockbuster trade for Russell Westbrook has given them a real shot at making the playoffs in the Eastern Conference. The focus of Washington Wizards offense will ofcourse be on the backcourt duo of Russell Westbrook and Bradley Beal.
With John Wall injured for the past 2 seasons, Washington Wizards have failed to make it to the post-season since the 2017-18 campaign. However, with the arrival of Russell Westbrook, finishing in the Top 8 shouldn't be as tough a task as the past few years.
Key Player - Russell Westbrook
The 9-time All-Star and 2017 league MVP, Russell Westbrook is now sporting the colors of the Washington Wizards. He will be competing in the Eastern Conference for the first time and his performance throughout the regular could be vital in determining the Washington Wizards' playoff chances.
Naturally the focus of the whole league will be on Russell Westbrook and his partnership with Bradley Beal. The former Houston Rockets star spoke about his role with the Wizards recently, he said,
"Brad is a superstar talent. He proved that and showed that last year... and he’s only going to get better. My job is to come in and continue to uplift him and try to push him to be better and that’s all I’m here for."
Washington Wizards Predicted Lineup
G Russell Westbrook, G Bradley Beal, F Deni Avdija, F Davis Bertans, C Thomas Bryant
Wizards vs 76ers Match Prediction
The Philadelphia 76ers are the clear favorites heading into this game, they are the stronger team on paper and now with a new head coach and a revamped roster, they should be winning this game with ease.
The Washington Wizards on the other hand don't feature any other major threat apart from their star duo of Russell Westbrook and Bradley Beal. Their 2020 NBA Draft pick, Deni Avdija has shown incredible promise and he will likely be starting the game on Wednesday.
Where to watch Wizards vs 76ers?
Local television coverage for the Washington Wizards vs Philadelphia 76ers game will be available on NBC Sports Washington and NBA Sports Philadelphia. International fans can catch the game on the NBA League Pass.
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