Philadelphia has lost five straight as they hit the road for the second night of a back-to-back against the Bucks.
UPDATE 2:35 p.m. ET
Sixers’ injury report is out for Sunday night’s contest visiting the Milwaukee Bucks.
Joel Embiid (knee injury management), Andre Drummond (toe injury recovery), KJ Martin (foot stress reaction), Caleb Martin (hip strain) and Kyle Lowry (hip strain) are all out. Paul George (groin tightness) and Guerschon Yabusele (knee swelling) are questionable.
The Sixers’ season has finished circling the drain and is now heading through the city’s sewer system, if you were wondering about the smell. Philadelphia has lost five straight games, falling to 15-25 on the season. At this point, the only reason even the Play-In Tournament is still a possibility is the hope of the Chicago Bulls finally coming to their senses and selling off their mediocrity merry-go-round. It’s not only the Process sickos talking about this club potentially rolling out the tanks, but serious NBA insiders. The situation is honestly unfathomable after the expectations of the summer.
Things won’t get any easier for the Sixers tonight, as they have the quick turnaround from last night’s loss to the Pacers. The second game of a road back-to-back is setting teams up for failure even under the best of times, and these are certainly not the best of times. Yesterday, Paul George and Guerschon Yabusele joined Joel Embiid, Caleb Martin, Kyle Lowry, KJ Martin, and Jared McCain in the OUT section of the injury report. We are another Tyrese Maxey injury away from Franklin the Dog needing to suit up to run the ‘backwards, over-the-head, half-court shot’ offense. I’ve been enjoying Justin Edwards’ emergence, but it’s not a good sign when in January, an undrafted two-way guy looking like an NBA rotation player is your only positive story.
Milwaukee is faring far better; the Bucks’ probable list for tonight includes Giannis Antetokounmpo (right patella tendinopathy), Khris Middleton (bilateral ankle injury management), and Marjon Beauchamp (illness), while AJ Green (left quad strain) and Andre Jackson Jr (right hip contusion) are questionable. The Bucks have won three straight games and currently sit in 4th place in the Eastern Conference at 23-17. They have completely turned things around from their slow start to the season and the talk of the Giannis-Dame pairing being unable to work. It kills me that Doc Rivers is probably looking at this Sixers season and saying, ‘See, I was the only thing holding everything together over there.’
The only solace for the Sixers is most fans likely won’t be paying close attention to this one with the Eagles having a playoff game in the afternoon. Back in August, I think many of us felt this could be the year Josh Harris finally made it out of the second round, but not to potentially be going against Philadelphia. Granted, Philadelphians were rooting for Harris and the Commanders hard last night with the potential for the Eagles to now host an NFC Championship game. Between the new South Philly stadium deal for the Sixers and Washington’s unexpected run, Harris is having a heck of a 2025 so far. I’m hoping some of his good fortune rubs off on his basketball team on the court, but it feels more like maybe this Sixers season was the sacrifice he made to the sports gods. Anyway, Sixers-Bucks: we’re Made for This.
Game details
When: Sunday, January 19, 7:00 p.m. ET
Where: Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee, WI
Watch: NBC Sports Philadelphia
Radio: 97.5 The Fanatic
Follow: @LibertyBallers