Philadelphia 76ers (0-3)
vs
Washington Wizards (0-2)
TV: Comcast SportsNet, NBA League Pass Channel 4
Radio: 610 WIP
Time: 7:00 PM EDT
Location: Verizon Center
Vegas Line: 3.5 (Wizards)
Opposition: Bullets Forever
76ers vs Wizards coverage
Is this the battle of top draft picks, or the battle of winless teams?
Despite neither team a lock for the playoffs, John Wall (taken 1st overall in June's draft) and Evan Turner (2nd overall) are in vastly different scenarios. Having become the face of the franchise, and with Gilbert Arenas out with an ankle injury, John Wall has been playing 39 minutes per night, averaging 21 points and 9 assists per game, with a usage percentage of 28.3%. That's a far cry from what's been asked of Turner, and this is a caution to those who will place too much importance on the individual results.
That's not to say I believe Evan Turner will have a better career than Wall, I was never among the contingent thinking Turner should have been in the running for the #1 pick. That being said, Wall will likely outproduce Turner, and the results of one game in November during a rookie season will likely be over-scrutinized.
As for the game itself, tonight presents the Sixers their first truly winnable game, with some interesting matchups. How well will Jrue do defending the insanely quick John Wall? How many times will Spencer Hawes get his shot blocked by JaVale McGee, who led the league in block percentage last year and is averaging 6.3 blocks per 36 minutes through 2 games this season? Will Andray Blatche go for another triple double?
More importantly, is this the game the Sixers pick up their first win?
This is your game thread. Discuss.