The Clippers host the 76ers at Intuit Dome on Monday, February 2, at 10:30 PM ET.
Coming in, the Clippers are 23-25 and sitting in the West play-in mix, while the 76ers are 27-21 and holding the No. 6 seed in the East.
The Clippers just smoked the Suns 117-93, even without Harden, and they have been on a heater for weeks.
The 76ers beat the Pelicans 124-114 on Saturday, with Joel Embiid dropping 40 and 11 in the first game after Paul George got hit with a 25-game suspension.
These teams already played once, the 76ers took it 110-108, so the season series is sitting at 1-0 heading into the rematch.
Star-wise, this matchup is loaded if everyone suits up: Kawhi Leonard is at 27.6 points, 6.2 rebounds, 3.6 assists on 51.4% from the field and 40.1% from three, while James Harden is at 25.4 points and 8.1 assists this season.
On the other side, Tyrese Maxey is putting up 29.2 points and 6.8 assists on 47.4% from the field and 38.2% from three, and Embiid is at 26.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 3.9 assists.
The 76ers are trying to survive the George suspension while managing Embiid’s ankle, and the Clippers are playing like a team that’s done being mediocre, they’ve gone 17-4 since their 6-21 start.
Injury Report
Clippers
Bradley Beal: Out (left hip fracture)
Derrick Jones Jr.: Out (right knee sprain)
TyTy Washington Jr.: Out (right hamstring soreness)
Bogdan Bogdanovic: Questionable (left hamstring injury management)
James Harden: Questionable (personal reasons)
76ers
Paul George: Out (league suspension)
Joel Embiid: Probable (right ankle injury management)
Kelly Oubre Jr.: Available (left knee injury recovery, brace)
Why The Clippers Have The Advantage
This starts with how the Clippers have been controlling games physically. They’re scoring 112.7 points per game on 47.6% from the field and 36.6% from three, and they’re doing it without needing a track meet. And lately, they’ve actually turned it up, 115.6 points per game over the last 10.
The other swing is defense and shot quality. They’re allowing 110.9 points per game, so they’re one of those teams that can win ugly when shots aren’t falling. That matters a lot against a 76ers group that can get a little Embiid-or-bust offensively when the spacing gets tight.
And yeah, the vibes are real right now. They just punked the Suns by 24 while missing Harden, and that game wasn’t fluky, it was rebounds, paint points, and straight-up force. If they bring that same energy, the 76ers are going to feel it on every cut, every screen, every box-out.
Why The 76ers Have The Advantage
The 76ers still have the best “solve-anything” piece on the floor if Embiid plays close to normal. They’re scoring 116.7 points per game, they move it at 24.9 assists a night, and they don’t beat themselves up with turnovers (12.1 per game). If this turns into a half-court execution game, their top-end shot creation can win it.
Maxey is the real problem, because he can rip the game open in six minutes. He’s at 29.2 points per game on strong splits, and when he’s hitting pull-up threes, it forces the Clippers into rotations that open up everything else.
Also, they already beat the Clippers once this season, 110-108, so they’re not walking in scared of the matchup. If the Clippers are shorthanded again on the perimeter, the 76ers will hunt those minutes.
X-Factors
For the Clippers, Ivica Zubac is the tone setter. He just grabbed a season-high 20 rebounds against the Suns, and this matchup screams “control the glass” if Embiid is even a little limited. If Zubac wins the boards and turns it into one-and-done possessions, it takes the air out of the 76ers’ run game.
John Collins is the other swing piece. He’s at 17.6 points and 8.4 rebounds on 53.0% shooting, and his ability to finish, slip, and punish smaller lineups matters if the 76ers try to play faster or go lighter to survive the George absence.
And if Harden is limited or sits, the Clippers need real creation from the supporting cast. Jordan Miller is averaging 10.3 points in 18.0 minutes, and he’s been popping as a bench scorer lately, including 20 off the bench against the Suns. If he gives them another burst, it covers a lot of roster weirdness.
For the 76ers, Kelly Oubre Jr. is huge, because he’s basically the “chaos wing” now. He’s at 13.7 points and 5.7 rebounds, and with George out, they need his slashing and effort plays to keep pressure on the rim. If he’s passive, the Clippers will load up on Embiid and Maxey and dare everyone else to make shots
Andre Drummond is a sneaky one, too, if he’s active, because he’s still at 8.7 rebounds per game, and those non-Embiid minutes can decide the game. If the 76ers get crushed on the glass when Embiid sits, it’s over.
Prediction
I’m riding with the Clippers at home. They’re playing with real edge, they’ve been winning with or without Harden lately, and the 76ers are walking into this one missing George and managing Embiid’s right ankle.
Prediction: Clippers 113, 76ers 107
