76ers vs. Pacers: Key Talking Points
On Sunday night, the Philadelphia 76ers take on the Indiana Pacers as they return home after a quick road trip to the Motor City, where they beat the Detroit Pistons, 114-106.
The Pacers come into the match off of a close victory over the Milwaukee Bucks, which can be largely attributed to the offensive displays from Tyrese Haliburton, Benedict Mathurin, as well as Myles Turner.
Sunday's match will be the first of two back-to-back matches against the Pacers for the Sixers, as they will look to continue their undefeated run in the in-season tournament on Tuesday night against Indiana.
As Philadelphia looks to continue their rise at the top of the Eastern Conference standings, here are some talking points.
How will the Sixers fare without Kelly Oubre Jr.?
Sunday night's match will be the Sixers' first match without Kelly Oubre, who was struck by a car on Saturday night, sustaining a broken rib in the process, while not being ruled out for the season, he is expected to miss significant time as he continues to heal.
While initially joining Philadelphia as a player to come in off the bench, following the James Harden trade, Oubre has been a blossoming part of the Sixers' lineup, averaging 15 points and six rebounds in games where he is a starter.
The match against the Pacers may start a trail process for Nick Nurse to see who is the right fit to fill in the shoes of the former Kansas wing.
How can Philadelphia contain Tyrese Haliburton?
Year by year, Haliburton's projection in the league continues to sky rocket, with the Pacers' guard finishing last season with 21 points on 49 percent from the field.
This season is no different, with the 23-year-old averaging 24 points per game, while finishing the game against the Bucks with 29 points, making that his fourth 20+ point game of the season.
With Haliburton being Indiana's top scoring option, with Turner trailing behind at 18 points per game, it'll most likely be up to the likes of De'Anthony Melton or Tobias Harris to defend the 6'5" guard throughout the match.
Can Tyrese Maxey continue to show off his playmaking ability?
If one thing has become apparent this season, it's that not only can Tyrese Maxey score, but he can share the ball around, which is important after the departure of James Harden, who was the Sixers' leading play maker last season.
Over his last four games, Maxey has put up three 10+ assist nights, consistently tying his recently set career-high for assists.
Its also important to note that in these performances, Maxey is still finding opportunities for himself to score, averaging 25 points in these performances on a consistent 47 percent from the field.
