Oklahoma City Thunder vs Philadelphia 76ers 2/11/22: Starting Lineups, Matchup Preview, Betting Odds, Predictions

Oklahoma City Thunder vs Philadelphia 76ers Matchup Preview (2/11/22)

The Oklahoma City Thunder (17-37) travel to face the revamped Philadelphia 76ers (32-22) on Friday night. The Thunder are 3-7 in their last ten games with a current 3-game losing streak. The struggling Thunder has not broken 100 points in three of their last four games. They will look to rebound off of a 117-98 loss to the streaking Toronto Raptors. Josh Giddey continued his versatile play with 13 points, 9 rebounds, and 6 assists on 6/11 shooting. Lu Dort struggled with his shot, scoring 14 points on 4/14 from the field and 2/9 from deep. The bench unexpectedly carried the scoring load; Aleksej Pokusevski, Ty Jerome, and Theo Maledon combined for 49 points off the bench. Kenrich Williams also chipped in 6 points, 12 rebounds, and 6 assists. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s injury killed any hope of the Thunder regularly competing with teams. Mike Muscala and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl are also out for the game. Aaron Wiggins is a game time decision; he has played above expectations this season. 

The 76ers are 6-4 in their last ten games, but 2-3 over their last five. They are coming off a brutal 114-109 loss to the Phoenix Suns where the 76ers led by as many as 14 points. Embiid dominated Deandre Ayton to the tune of 34 points and 12 rebounds on 13/25 from the field. Tobias Harris reminded everyone of his scoring prowess through 30 points on 13/18 shooting. Maxey was solid with 14 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists. In the end, the Suns were too much to handle, as Devin Booker dropped 35 points. Chris Paul had a double-double (16 points, 12 assists), and Mikal Bridges poured in 23 points on 9/14 shooting. At the trade deadline, the 76ers swung for the fences by sending Ben Simmons, Seth Curry, Andre Drummond, and two 1st round picks for James Harden and Paul Millsap. Shake Milton is expected to be out again; he has missed the past 18 games. Harden and Millsap will likely be unavailable to play in this one also. 

Oklahoma City Thunder vs Philadelphia 76ers Betting Odds

The Thunder and 76ers have played once this season: a 115-103 76ers win on October 24th. Embiid had a relatively quiet night with 22 points and 9 rebounds. Seth Curry led the 76ers in scoring with 28 points on 7/10 from three. For the Thunder, they heavily leaned on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who masterfully produced 29 points, 6 rebounds, and 8 assists. This game was rookie Josh Giddey’s breakout game: 19 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists on 8/13 from the field. In this rematch, the 76ers will dominate the Thunder and hold them to below 100 points. The Thunder have no answer for Joel Embiid, who has scored 74 points in his last two games. At this point, it would be unrealistic to think about the Thunder moneyline; only the spread should be considered. 

TV Schedule

Date: 2/11/22
Time: 7:00 PM ET
Arena: Wells Fargo Center – Philadelphia, PA
Channel: BSOK, NBA League Pass

Live Stream Oklahoma City Thunder vs Philadelphia 76ers Free Online: Watch Every NBA Game

You can stream this game online for free. You can get a free 7-day trial and live stream NBA games from any device. Click the banner below and start watching.

Oklahoma City Thunder Starting Lineup

PG: Josh Giddey
SG: Tre Mann
SF: Lu Dort
PF: Darius Bazley
C: Derrick Favors

Oklahoma City Thunder Analysis

With Shai Gilgeous-Alexander out, the offense will rely on Josh Giddey and Lu Dort to create and score. Giddey’s scoring is a work in progress; his strength lies in creating shots for others. Unfortunately, the Thunder are last in FG% and 3PT%, so even if Giddey creates an open shot, his teammates are not converting. Lu Dort, on the other hand, has impressed with his offensive  growth. Dort’s been one of the most efficient jump shooters off the dribble, and that is on decent volume also. The 76ers will likely stick defensive ace Matisse Thybulle on Dort in order to limit his offense. Outside of Dort, the only player who has shown potential as a lethal scorer is rookie Tre Mann. He can shoot off the dribble as well as catch and shoot threes; however, his results are extremely volatile. 

Defensively, the Thunder are surprisingly solid with the 10th best Defensive Rating in the league. Their defensive anchor is Dort, who jump started his career by competently defending James Harden in the playoffs. Darius Bazley has taken strides in his defensive impact this season. He’s averaging a career high 1.1 BPG because of his length and athleticism. At 6’8” and 208 lbs, Bazley will mark Tobias Harris. The only center on the roster is Derrick Favors, who realistically stands no chance against Embiid. All signs point towards the Thunder having a rough day against the hungry 76ers.

Philadelphia 76ers Starting Lineup

PG: Tyrese Maxey
SG: Danny Green
SF: Matisse Thybulle
PF: Tobias Harris
C: Joel Embiid

Philadelphia 76ers Analysis

The 76ers revolve around Embiid, both offensively and defensively. The Thunder have no choice but to double Embiid in the paint; otherwise he will drop 40 points without blinking. Danny Green (38.6 3PT%) should see plenty of open looks from Embiid passing out of a double team. Tobias Harris has 53 points in his last two games, a flashback to his scoring days on the Clippers. Harris is now the 3rd option with Harden on the 76ers, but that is the perfect role for him. He can exploit Bazley because although Bazley has improved defensively, he has really struggled to guard the pick and roll ball handler. Harris is lighting up opponents in the pick and roll, which does not bode well for the Thunder. 

With Curry and Drummond traded to Brooklyn, the 76ers depth will be rail thin. Isaiah Joe, Furkan Korkmaz, and Georges Niang will lead the charge off the bench. The Thunder bench is young and hit or miss, so the 76ers should not be too concerned. Before this season, Korkmaz was shooting 37.7% from deep in his career; this season, he is at 28.7% on 4.6 attempts per game. Curry is gone, so the 76ers will need Korkmaz to rediscover his shooting stroke.

Oklahoma City Thunder vs Philadelphia 76ers Daily Fantasy Picks

There is no possible reason to not pick Joel Embiid. Even though he may see only 30 minutes because of a blowout, he will still go for 30 points at a minimum. Factor in his double digit rebounds from cleaning up Thunder missed field goals, and Embiid is the best player to pick here. I also like Tobias Harris to continue his recent hot streak and score at least 20 points. He is shooting 48.8% from the field, so he makes every shot count. On the Thunder, the only player I would choose is Giddey. Dort’s production will slip with Thybulle following him; the volume will be there, but I do not think the efficiency will be. No matter whether his shot is falling or not, Giddey always finds ways to contribute. A 15/8/8 performance is in reach for Giddey in this one.