The Philadelphia 76ers may be without two starters when they play the Indiana Pacers on Monday, despite winning what is widely considered to be their biggest game of the season.
After suffering injuries during Saturday’s dramatic 133-130 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks, Tobias Harris (left calf soreness) and P.J. Tucker (back spasms) are unlikely to be available.
Milwaukee’s 16-game winning streak was snapped when Philadelphia came back from an 18-point deficit in the third quarter and scored 48 points in the fourth. James Harden finished with 38 points, 10 assists, and 9 rebounds, including 19 in the final period.
Tyrese Maxey had 26 points and 10 rebounds, and Georges Niang had 16 points. Joel Embiid had 31 points and 10 rebounds. In four consecutive games, Maxey has scored at least 23 points.
The Sixers, who had lost 106 games in a row when trailing by 14 or more points on the road going into the fourth quarter, could use the victory as a turning point.
Despite Philadelphia’s victory, Rivers wants to make sure his team remembers that it was only one game.
The final two games of the Sixers’ five-game road trip are against Indiana and the Minnesota Timberwolves. Indiana has won three of its last four, including a 125-122 triumph over the Chicago Bulls on Sunday.
After missing one game due to tightness in his right calf, Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton returned and scored 29 against Chicago, including the game-winning 3-pointer with 2.7 seconds remaining. With the victory, Indiana tied for 11th in the Eastern Conference.
Jordan Nwora, who was acquired from the Milwaukee Bucks a month ago, took Aaron Nesmith’s place in the starting lineup after he missed Sunday’s game with a sore left hip. In the win over Chicago, Nwora scored ten points and grabbed five rebounds.
Center Myles Turner, who scored 40 points in a loss to the Boston Celtics on February 23 to tie his career high, has also provided the Pacers with a boost over the past week. In January, Turner extended his contract with Indiana by two years and $60 million.
