Philadelphia 76ers vs Phoenix Suns Prediction: Sixers to put up a fight

Phoenix has beaten Philadelphia in their last six head-to-head encounter, and bookmakers don't really believe the Sixers will break their losing streak. In the absence of James Harden, will the 76ers be able to beat the Western Conference leaders?

The Sixers will have to play without Harden for the next month, and you can already see how the team is trying to rebuild. De'Anthony Melton is getting a full 30 minutes, and his play should help Philadelphia improve their defense. With Melton out, there isn't as much of a need to keep Matisse Thybulle, who is nearly useless on offense. Tyrese Maxey will be almost the first option on the attack, and the role of Tobias Harris, who was stunted just after Harden joined the team, should also increase. Joel Embiid has missed the last 3 games because of illness and now his participation is questionable.

Doc Rivers' team had 3 wins in last 5 regular season games. Last game, Philadelphia lost at home to New York with the score 104-106. Without Embiid, the Sixers once again lacked power in the paint and could not make up for it in long-range shots. Tyrese Maxey attempted 29 shots on the night and made only 10 of them, while De'Anthony Melton also underperformed on 4-of-18 shooting. Tobias Harris with 23 points was the best scorer on the team, although Maxey did score more.

Chris Paul has been a key figure in Phoenix over the past two years, and in large part he has made the team a championship contender. Despite his age, Paul has been useful not only at point guard, but also in finishing offensive plays, regularly creating chances for himself to shoot from mid-range. Chris's game went downhill last playoffs, and it's not certain he'll return to his former level. Paul is shooting less than 10 times per game with an emphasis on three-pointers, but 27.3% of his shots from beyond the arc aren't impressive at all. The playmaking is still okay: Paul leads the NBA in average assists (10.2).

But Paul's decline isn't the Suns' only problem. The club still hasn't traded Jae Crowder. Cameron Johnson is out indefinitely, and it's not certain he'll even hit the floor this regular season. Nevertheless, against all odds, Monty Williams's squad has won 8 games in 10 league games and is now the sole leader in the West.

Last regular season game, Phoenix finally took revenge on Portland, 102-82. The Suns traditionally played good defense, though the absence of Damian Lillard and Anfernee Simons made the task easier. Interestingly, only Devin Booker made more than 10 shots from the field, while Deandre Ayton played only 16 minutes. Chris Paul did well from beyond the arc and Damion Lee and Landry Shamet also contributed.

Despite a good start, Phoenix will have a difficult time this season, especially after the injury of their best shooter Cameron Johnson. Cam has been important defensively as well, but there is Torrey Craig, who can replace Johnson decently in his half court. Devin Booker alone might not take it out, and Eaton won't be allowed to turn around under the basket if Embiid returns. Philadelphia should improve on defense, but their offense can only count on Maxey hitting 40-50% of his shots from the floor this time around. Our prediction for the upcoming game is as follows:

• TU (216.5) for 1.752;
• H1 (+3.5) for 1.76;
• W1 (incl. OT) for 2.20.

Telecom Asia Sport is looking for tipsters from India. Contact jobs@telecomasia.net for more information.