The Oklahoma City Thunder will be facing the Philadelphia 76ers at the Paycom Center tonight. The Thunder certainly hold the home advantage for this game and will look to build some momentum right away. OKC is coming off a win against the Chicago Bulls, and an impressive 6-game winning streak.
The Philadelphia 76ers, on the other hand, lost their last game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. They will be looking to get back on the winning track but may face some difficulties because of the absence of one key player. The Thunder will likely have their squad at full strength, which could be unfortunate for the Sixers.
Josh Giddey is expected to play in the Oklahoma City Thunder vs Philadelphia 76ers game tonight
Josh Giddey has been the talk of the town in the last day but for all the wrong reasons. The OKC guard has been allegedly in a relationship with “Liv Cook,” an underage high school girl. Her actual name has not been revealed, and multiple reports claim that she could be from 15 to 16 years old right now. This is certainly a bad look for the NBA star, as many have called for his suspension and arrest.
The NBA is investigating allegations that Josh Giddey has been involved in an improper relationship with an underage girl pic.twitter.com/R4JMzCXRDh
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) November 24, 2023
Reports claim that the NBA is now investigating the matter after Giddey made a public appearance recently. He refused to comment further on the matter for the time being. As for Giddey’s presence, it looks like he may well and truly feature tonight.
The other players on the Thunder’s injury report will be Jalen Williams and Lindy Waters III. The latter is questionable for the game tonight with a back injury.
Oklahoma City Thunder injury report
- Jalen Williams (out)
- Lindy Waters III (questionable)
Oklahoma City Thunder expected roster
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
- Josh Giddey
- Chet Holmgren
- Luguentz Dort
- Cason Wallace
Philadelphia 76ers injury report
- Joel Embiid (probable)
- Kelly Oubre Jr. (out)
Philadelphia 76ers expected roster
- Joel Embiid (probable)
- Tyrese Maxey
- Nicolas Batum
- Tobias Harris
- De’Anthony Melton
Can the Thunder continue their winning streak?
The Thunder have done well to keep up with the momentum in recent games. However, the Sixers aren’t an ordinary team. They will have to guard reigning MVP Joel Embiid with all their resources in the paint. Moreover, Tyrese Maxey’s emergence has been a problem for rivals as well.
The good news for OKC fans will be that Embiid may not feature tonight. The Sixers have listed him as probable with a hip injury. He will most likely play, but the Sixers could make a game-time decision to rest him and not aggravate the injury.
The last time these two teams faced was in January 2023. OKC won the game 133-114, thanks to a monumental 37-point game from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Josh Giddey also contributed with 20 points.
The Sixers could get the better of the Thunder tonight, however. They have shown the NBA that James Harden’s departure has had little to no effect on the team’s results. Moreover, Embiid’s partnership with Maxey seems to be improving with every game as well.