Sixers Ride Win Streak Into Matchup vs. Struggling Nuggets

The Philadelphia 76ers (19-27) and Denver Nuggets (28-19) enter Friday night’s showdown in opposite form. While the Sixers are on a four-game winning streak, Denver has dropped three straight and is searching for answers.

This rematch comes after Denver’s dominant 144-109 win over Philly on Jan. 21, a game where Sixers coach Nick Nurse admitted his team “just didn’t bring it.” But Philadelphia has since turned things around, including wins over Cleveland, the Lakers, and Sacramento.

76ers Finding Their Groove Without Embiid

The Sixers erased a 12-point deficit to defeat the Kings 117-104 on Wednesday. Tyrese Maxey led the way with 30 points and 8 assists, continuing his hot streak of six straight games shooting over 50% from the field.

Maxey, who has stepped up in Joel Embiid’s absence (knee injury), is averaging a career-high 27.1 points per game along with 1.9 steals per contest.

“I had to grow up a little bit,” Maxey said. “Now I’m pushing my teammates to be the best version of themselves.”

Philadelphia’s fourth-quarter defense has been stellar, holding Sacramento to just 17 points in the final frame. Nurse praised the team’s energy, saying,

“We were flying all over the place, tipped a bunch of balls around.”

Nuggets Searching for Answers Amid Losing Streak

Denver has lost three straight to Minnesota, Chicago, and New York, struggling with defensive lapses and turnovers.

In Wednesday’s 122-112 loss to the Knicks, Nikola Jokic had an uncharacteristic quiet night, finishing with just 17 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists. The Nuggets committed 14 turnovers, continuing a troubling trend.

“We don’t fix the turnover issue because we’ve been doing it for the last 25 games,” Jokic bluntly admitted.

Despite the struggles, coach Mike Malone remained optimistic about the team’s effort:

“Bottom line is it’s a loss, but I did not like the loss in Chicago. Tonight, I thought the effort was there.”

A bright spot for Denver was Jamal Murray’s 33-point performance against New York. If he scores 30+ again on Friday, it will be the first time he’s done so in back-to-back regular-season games since February 2023.

Key Matchups to Watch

• Tyrese Maxey vs. Nuggets’ Defense – Maxey has been on fire, but can Denver contain him?
• Nikola Jokic vs. Sixers’ Interior – With Embiid out, will Jokic dominate the paint?
• Jamal Murray’s Scoring Streak – If Murray stays hot, it could shift momentum for Denver.

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Game Outlook

Philadelphia is playing its best basketball of the season, while Denver is looking to stop the bleeding. With Maxey leading the Sixers and Jokic seeking redemption, this rematch could be much closer than the previous blowout.