Sixers (29-33, 12-19 road, 7th East) @ Bucks (23-39, 17-13 home, 12th East)
Gametime: 12:00 pm CT
TV: FSN Wisconsin/League Pass/NBA Broadband
Radio: 620 WTMJ/Stream Free @ NBA.com
Bucks Stats: Offense 19th (102.3 pts/100 poss), Defense 28th (108.9), Rebounding 18th (.501 rr), Pace 21st (92.9)
Sixers Stats: Offense 20th (102.1 pts/100 poss), Defense 8th (102.4), Rebounding 2nd (.520 rr), Pace 22nd (92.9)
Bucks Lineup: Royal Ivey / Michael Redd / Desmond Mason / Charlie Villanueva / Andrew Bogut
Sixers Lineup: Andre Miller / Willie Green / Andre Iguodala / Reggie Evans / Samuel Dalembert
Bucks Injuries: Mo Williams has missed the past two games with an abdominal strain. His injury is now being called pubic symphysitis. Yi Jianlian has missed the past two games with a sprained left ankle. Williams and Yi are day-to-day.
Sixers Injuries: Herbert Hill has not played this season after undergoing knee surgery.
07/08 Series: 2-1 Sixers. The Bucks lost 114-99 on Nov. 27 at the Bradley Center. The Bucks beat the Sixers 87-83 on Jan. 8, 2008 in Philadelphia. The Sixers crushed the Bucks 112-69 on Jan. 30 in Philadelphia.
Key Points:
- The Sixers tallied 117 points on Wednesday against the Sonics, just two days after the Bucks put up 118 on the same opponent. The Sixers won even more convincingly though, a 117-83 decision on Friday night in Philadelphia. The Sixers had seven players score in double figures, led by Samuel Dalembert's 22 points on 10-11 shooting.
- The Sixers are one of the hottest teams in the NBA, having won 11 of 14. They eclipsed the century mark in all but one of those 11 wins, an 84-76 win over the Mavericks. Their balance is what makes them go, as they have had five different leading scorers (Samuel Dalembert, Andre Iguodala, Rodney Carney, Andre Miller, Willie Green) in the last two weeks, all coming in wins.
- The Sixers are again coming into March like lions, starting the month 3-0. Last season they started March 5-0. The Sixers are 11-3 in the first week of March in the last four seasons, including this one.
- Samuel Dalembert has given the Bucks trouble all year long. The 16.7 points he's averaging against the Bucks is the most against any opponent. Dalembert is also shooting 56.7 % from the field, and is averaging 10.0 rebounds and 2.3 blocks against the Bucks in the first three games. Andrew Bogut is averaging 8.0 rebounds and 8.0 assists on 37.5 shooting against the Sixers. Bogut must be assertive for the Bucks to have a chance down low tonight, especially since the Sixers are the second most efficient rebounding team in the NBA.
- Sunday is Charlie Bell's day, at least this season. In five Sunday games this year he's averaging 13.6 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 3.0 assists in 26.2 minutes. Better yet, he's shooting 48.0 % from the field and 44.4 % on three pointers.
- Thaddeus Young is a rising rookie. In the Sixers three straight wins to open the month, Young is averaging 14.3 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 2.0 steals on a scorching 79.1 % from the field. Young's ascent can be traced to early January when he started getting more minutes. Coincidentally, that's roughly the same time Bucks rookie Yi Jianlian started playing and producing less.
- Reggie Evans is averaging 8.0 rebounds despite playing just 24.4 minutes per game. Every other top 40 rebounder averages more minutes.
- The Sixers are probably the least talked about and yet most surprising team currently in line to make the playoffs. They entered this season with little expectation, but find themselves far ahead of their projected growth while occupying the seventh seed in the East. Meanwhile, Bucks are currently 23-39. They were also 23-39 last season.
- Check out Sixers 4 Guidos for more on tonight's opponent.