Game 12: Philadephia 76ers – Wednesday, 8:00 PM
This team was perhaps the most debated amongst Pacers Twitter this summer as to who would be better.
The standings say it has been the Pacers so far. The Sixers sit at 6-5, and they have had some growing pains while integrating Markelle Fultz into the lineup.
But they still have Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid, and that makes them a nightmare. Embiid is going to shut down whoever he guards, at least to a certain degree. He’s an outstanding defender. Simmons is too, and so is Robert Covington. I have no idea who is going to guard Oladipo between those two, I would guess Covington, but whoever it is will do a great job.
On the flip side, guarding Simmons and Embiid is equally challenging. Darren Collison doesn’t have the size to keep up with Simmons, so perhaps Bojan Bogdanovic could get the call to defend him.
Yet somehow, with all these matchups problems, Indiana went 2-1 against Philly last year. The Sixers depth isn’t spectacular, so this could be another big game for the Pacers bench. Tyreke Evans may be guarded by a rookie or JJ Redick, but either way, he could have a big night.
It could be like last year where Redick gets hot and you just have no chance. But the depth of Indiana can keep them in this game. If the starters can battle, the Pacers can win, especially at home. This battle will be fun all season.