76ers vs. Warriors Preview: How to Watch, Live Stream, Odds and More
For the first time since Saturday, the Philadelphia 76ers are set to return to the court at the Wells Fargo Center. Despite being the underdogs against the Los Angeles Lakers this past weekend, Philly flashed their star power at home, despite being shorthanded.
It was the first game the Sixers were missing both Joel Embiid and Josh Richardson after they suffered injuries this month. On Tuesday, though, one of them might make their way back to the court after missing some significant time already.
Sixers' center Joel Embiid could return for the matchup against the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday. After tearing a ligament in his finger, the big man had to undergo surgery. He's been patiently waiting to get back onto the court ever since.
On Monday, Embiid went through a full-contact practice, and the team didn't hold him back from anything. His progress so far has been going well, but the big decision of whether he will play or not on Tuesday will be ultimately up to his surgeon -- not the team.
The doctor who did Embiid's procedure will be in the building on Tuesday. And she will decide whether it's safe if Embiid plays or not. If he does, then that could be a potential blessing and a curse for the Sixers. Getting Embiid back is good for Philly because of the obvious; It's Joel Embiid, the team's best player when healthy and available. What could the negative be, though? Rustiness.
If Embiid comes back rusty, after missing multiple weeks' worth of games, it could put the Sixers in a weird spot on Tuesday night. Sure, they have missed Embiid, but then again, they haven't been completely lost without him. The Sixers have survived without their big man and have been playing some pretty solid basketball. It will be interesting to see how things go if he returns on Tuesday night.
GAME INFORMATION:
Game Time: Tuesday, January 28th, 2020, 7:00 p.m. E.T
Location: Wells Fargo Center
Stream: NBA League Pass
Odds: The 76ers are favored over Golden State at -12.5 via The Action Network
With or without Embiid and Richardson, the Sixers should be able to handle Golden State at home this season. It comes as no secret the Warriors are no longer the powerhouse they were during previous seasons due to the fact that some of their superstars have suffered some heavy setbacks.
Looking at the Warriors' 10-37 record makes it feel like the Sixers should dominate with ease on Tuesday. However, Philly has been known to go into cruise control against lesser teams and having it come back to bite them in the long-run. The 21-2 record while playing in South Philly says the Sixers will more than likely take the cake on Tuesday. But a blowout might not be in the cards.