The Philadelphia 76ers will hit the road to visit Toyota Center for a clash with the Houston Rockets.
Doc Rivers' team has left a lot to be desired early in the season, while the Rockets have put in a big fight more often than not, although that hasn't translated into many wins.
The Sixers are highly-favored by oddsmakers ahead of this clash, which shouldn't be a surprise. But, will they be able to live up to the task? Let's break it down.
Even if Daryl Morey won't admit it, the Philadelphia 76ers have struggled to get by without Ben Simmons.
They have one of the worst offenses in the league this season and need a true playmaker who can pull the strings of the offense and help their scorers get to their spots.
Joel Embiid continues to play at an MVP level but there's only so much he can do on his own, so we expect Morey to be highly involved in trade talks as the deadline zooms in.
Another team expected to be involved in multiple transactions is the Houston Rockets.
While moving John Wall's massive contract seems impossible right now, they would be wise to try and find a trade suitor for Eric Gordon.
Gordon is a highly-touted player around the league and his playmaking and sharpshooting could come in handy for a contender.
The Rockets won't compete any time soon and have done a solid job of stacking up young, promising players; so they might as well move on from as many veteran players as they can.
The Philadelphia 76ers will most likely be without Tyrese Maxey for this game, while Simmons is obviously still away from the team. For the Houston Rockets, Usman Garuba and Alperen Sengun are expected to continue on the shelf.
The Sixers currently boast the 8th-best defense in the league at 106.1 points allowed per game, while the Rockets average just 107.5 points per game (20 out of 30).
These teams have met 148 times, with each getting 74 wins. However, the Sixers have taken three straight in this rivalry.
On paper, the Sixers should have no trouble getting past the Rockets' terrible defense.
Joel Embiid thrives when facing off vs. physical big men like Christian Wood and he's likely to try and get in his head early in the game.
Nonetheless, the Sixers have struggled to keep the foot on the gas against lesser teams all season long, so we don't expect this to be a blowout by any means, especially if Maxey can't play.
We don't see this game going over the total and, although the Rockets will put in a fight, the Sixers will take home the Dub.
