76ers Host Defending Champion Nuggets | Gameday Report 39/82

The 76ers (25-13) will seek their third consecutive victory Tuesday, hosting the defending NBA Champion Denver Nuggets (28-13).

The Nuggets will also seek their third straight win Tuesday, in the first of two meetings between Philadelphia and Denver this season.

The Sixers will be facing the second night of a back-to-back, after notching a 124-115 win over Houston in a Monday matinee. Joel Embiid, who returned to play for the first time since Jan. 5, headlined the victory with a 41-point, 10-rebound double-double.

Tyrese Maxey, who added 27 points - including six 3-pointers - in the win, was ready to turn the page postgame.

“The defending champs are coming here,” Maxey said postgame Monday. “Until somebody knocks them off, that’s what they are. It’ll be a good test for us, a good home game for us - I think it should be fun.”

The Sixers and Nuggets split their regular season series last season, with the Sixers taking a 126-119 victory on Jan. 28 in Philadelphia, and the Nuggets winning 116-111 on their home court on March 27.

Embiid recorded a massive 47-point, 18-rebound double-double, plus five assists, three steals, and two blocks in the first of those two contests last year.

Tuesday’s matchup marks the end of a three-game homestand for Philadelphia, which will play another back-to-back at Orlando and at Charlotte on Friday and Saturday. The Sixers will play seven of their next nine games on the road.

As of Monday evening, the Sixers hold the No. 3 spot in the Eastern Conference, 2.0 games behind the Milwaukee Bucks (28-12). The Nuggets are No. 3 in the West, 0.5 games behind Oklahoma City (27-11).

OPPONENT OUTLOOK

The Nuggets (28-13) won both ends of their two-game home stand on Friday and Sunday, first beating New Orleans, 125-113, then besting Indiana, 117-109.

Two-time MVP Nikola Jokic led the way for Denver in scoring, rebounding, and assisting in each of the team’s last three games.

In their most recent outing, Jokic notched a 25-point, 12-rebound double-double, plus nine assists, two steals, and a block. Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. also contributed 25 points each in that win over the Pacers, with Aaron Gordon scoring 20.

Jokic leads Denver in scoring (25.5 ppg), rebounding (11.8 rpg), assists (9.3 apg), and blocks (0.9 bpg). Jokic’s efficiency has impressed of late, shooting 76.1% from the field, 60.0% from long range, and 90.2% from the foul line over the course of the last 10 games. 

MONDAY’S TOP PERFORMANCES

Joel Embiid

• Embiid recorded a 41-point, 10-rebound double-double, plus three assists, a steal, and a block in his 31 minutes of play. He shot 12-for-21 from the field and 16-for-17 from the foul line.

Tyrese Maxey

• Maxey finished with 27 points and seven assists, including making six of his 10 3-pointers in 35 minutes.

Patrick Beverley

• Beverley scored a bench-high 11 points, plus five rebounds, six assists, a steal, and a block. 

QUOTE TO NOTE

Maxey on Beverley’s pesky defense, plus offensive skills:

“It’s funny when he’s on your team. When he’s not on your team, it’s not funny. But when he’s on your team, and you see him do the little “too small,” (gesture) it’s great. His leadership, his voice, it’s been bigtime. He knows his role on this team, he knows how he has to play. Shoutout to Pat.”

FOLLOW ALONG

Monday’s contest is a 7:30 p.m. ET start in South Philadelphia.

Watch: TNT

Listen: 97.5 The Fanatic

UNIFORMS

The Sixers will wear their royal blue Icon Edition uniforms against the Nuggets in their white Association Edition uniforms.

@SIXERS SOCIAL

By: Lauren Rosen