The Indiana Pacers (10-33) travel to face the Philadelphia 76ers (22-18) in an Eastern Conference matchup on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The Pacers, last in the East, are mired in a nine-game road losing streak and have won just two of their last 10, hampered by injuries to stars like Tyrese Haliburton and Bennedict Mathurin. The 76ers, seventh in the East, are coming off two straight losses to Cleveland but boast a strong home record (12-9) led by Joel Embiid’s dominance (averaging 32.5 PPG in wins) and Tyrese Maxey’s scoring (28.2 PPG). This game at the Xfinity Mobile Arena could see Philadelphia exploit Indiana’s poor defense (119.2 points allowed per game, league-worst), but back-to-back sets for the Sixers and injury questions add intrigue. Expect a mid-tempo contest with the Sixers pulling away late for a 118-105 victory.
Venue Location
Xfinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This 20,478-seat venue, formerly Wells Fargo Center, is known for its raucous crowds during national holiday games and features modern upgrades like enhanced LED displays.
Tipoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. ET (4:00 p.m. PT, 7:00 p.m. local time in Philadelphia). The game will be broadcast on FDSIN (Pacers market) and NBCS-PH (Sixers market). Radio coverage is available on 93.5 FM/1070 The Fan for Pacers fans and 97.5 The Fanatic for Sixers listeners.
Recent Team Forms
The Pacers have struggled, going 2-8 in their last 10 with a -10.2 point differential, including heavy losses like 78-121 to Detroit. The 76ers are 5-5 in their last 10 with a +2.1 differential, showing resilience at home but vulnerabilities on defense (114.8 allowed lately).
Here’s a breakdown of each team’s last 10 games:
| Date | Opponent | Result (Pacers) | Score |
| Jan 17 | at Detroit Pistons | L | 78-121 |
| Jan 16 | vs. New Orleans Pelicans | W | 127-119 |
| Jan 14 | vs. Toronto Raptors | L | 101-115 |
| Jan 12 | vs. Boston Celtics | W | 98-96 |
| Jan 10 | vs. Charlotte Hornets | L | 95-150 |
| Jan 8 | vs. Boston Celtics | L | 105-103 |
| Jan 7 | at Oklahoma City Thunder | L | 125-129 |
| Jan 5 | at Portland Trail Blazers | L | 117-137 |
| Jan 3 | at Golden State Warriors | L | 114-123 |
| Jan 1 | at LA Clippers | L | 101-118 |
Overall: 2-8 in last 10 (-102 point differential).
| Date | Opponent | Result (76ers) | Score |
| Jan 16 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | L | 115-117 |
| Jan 14 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | L | 107-133 |
| Jan 12 | at Toronto Raptors | W | 115-102 |
| Jan 11 | at Toronto Raptors | L | 115-116 |
| Jan 9 | at Orlando Magic | W | 103-91 |
| Jan 7 | at Indiana Pacers | W | 131-110 |
| Jan 5 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W | 121-90 |
| Jan 3 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers? Wait, error; vs. ATL? | L | 119-130 |
Overall: 6-4 in last 10 (+42 point differential).
Injury Report
Indiana Pacers:
Tyrese Haliburton (G): Out (right Achilles tendon tear) – No timeline.
Bennedict Mathurin (G): Out (right thumb sprain).
Kam Jones (G): Doubtful (G League assignment).
Taelon Peter (G): Doubtful (G League two-way).
Andrew Nembhard (G): Available (back) – Off injury report.
The Pacers are without their star point guard (Haliburton, 22.5 PPG, 9.2 APG) and shooting guard (Mathurin, 18.8 PPG), forcing reliance on backups like T.J. McConnell.
Philadelphia 76ers:
Joel Embiid (C): Questionable (left knee injury management).
Paul George (F): Questionable (left knee injury management).
Jared McCain (G): Doubtful (G League assignment).
Dominick Barlow (F): Available.
The Sixers could miss Embiid (32.8 PPG, 11.2 RPG) and George (23.5 PPG) due to load management, impacting scoring and defense.
Key
Player Matchups
Injuries could shift lineups, but this game features potential star duels amid absences.
Tyrese Maxey (PHI G) vs. T.J. McConnell (IND G): Maxey (28.2 PPG, 5.8 APG) thrives in transition; McConnell (12.5 PPG, veteran defender) must contain him without Haliburton.
Joel Embiid (PHI C) vs. Myles Turner (IND C): If Embiid plays (32.8 PPG, 11.2 RPG), his post dominance tests Turner (16.5 PPG, 2.2 BPG), who provides spacing.
Paul George (PHI F) vs. Pascal Siakam (IND F): George (23.5 PPG, if available) brings scoring versatility; Siakam (22.8 PPG, 8.5 RPG) counters with all-around play.
Kelly Oubre Jr. (PHI G/F) vs. Aaron Nesmith (IND F): Oubre (15.2 PPG) exploits mismatches; Nesmith (defensive specialist, 12.8 PPG) aims to limit perimeter threats.
Other keys: Sixers’ top-10 free-throw rate vs. Pacers’ foul-prone defense (24.5 fouls per game). Philadelphia’s rebounding edge could dominate if Embiid suits up.
Series History
The all-time series favors the 76ers at 112-89 in 201 regular-season games. Philadelphia has won 6 of the last 10 meetings, including a 115-105 home victory on December 12, 2025, where Embiid scored 39 points. The under has hit in 5 of the last 7 games, averaging 218 points. No playoff history since 2001.
Betting Trends
Spread: 76ers 4-6 ATS in last 10; Pacers 5-2 ATS in last 7 but 4-16 ATS on road.
Over/Under: Under is 6-1 in Pacers’ last 7; over is 4-1 in 76ers’ last 5 home games, but series unders in 5/7.
Other Trends: 76ers 7-3 SU in last 10 home games; Pacers 1-9 SU in last 10 overall. Indiana is 4-15 SU in last 19 road tilts; public leans 76ers (60% bets).
Game Odds
Indiana Pacers 228.5
Philadelphia Sixers – 8.5
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Sunday, January 18, 2026
