This game could be all kinds of ugly. If there is one interesting aspect about the two worst teams in the NBA, and arguably two of the worst rosters ever assembled go head-to-head Monday night its one particular matchup. Philadelphia owns the worst scoring defense in the NBA and Milwaukee, well, just can’t score.
It comes with great comedic timing that the Sixers decimated their roster right before facing the league’s worst team. Now, NBA Draft lottery forecasters no longer have to wonder who the actual worst team in the league is. Instead, the teams will prove it on the floor of the Wells Fargo Center Monday night.
Philadelphia has not won a game in the month of February, and it would seem this would be the perfect chance to end the skid, as the Bucks have won only three games since the New Year. They also will have a lot more help than they did on Friday night when only eight men were able to suit up.
One position in which they will be drastically better is center. Friday’s circumstances called for Arnett Moultrie to play 31 minutes at the position with no real back-up. Standing at 6’8’’ each, the next tallest players on the team were Thaddeus Young and Hollis Thompson.
On Monday, though, they are expected to have Henry Sims available to play. He is exactly what Head Coach Brett Brown has been looking for, a defensive-first guy who is not afraid to protect the rim and guard the paint, while putting personal scoring aside.
Sims understands his role, which is just that: to play defense. In his own words, he will: “Be active around the rim and defensively is personally what I want to do.”
Brown has been yearning for defensive help. He could not have been more excited to hear what Sims said in regards to what he hopes to bring to the table. Brown, in turn, wants to bring him to his own table, for dinner.
“You just want to start crying,” Brown told reporters. “I want to hug him and start crying and have him over for dinner. And yes that is what we need.”
Sims is eager for playing time, having played only eight minutes per game for Cleveland before the trade. He will receive plenty of playing time for Brown, and his eagerness to play is refreshing at a time in which Danny Granger has hinted he wants nothing to do with suiting up for Philadelphia.
Injuries: Brandon Davies will not play as he nurses an injured finger and Nerlens Noel and Jason Richardson are both recovering from torn ACLs, and also will not play. Larry Sanders and Carlos Delfino will not play for the Bucks.
Projected Starters:
Milwaukee:
PG- Brandon Knight
SG- Nate Wolters
SF- Khris Middleton
PF- John Henson
C- Zaza Pachulia
Philadelphia:
PG- Michael Carter-Williams
SG- Elliot Williams
SF- James Anderson
PF-Thaddeus Young
C- Arnett Moultrie
Prediction: 1,2,3,4,5,6ers take this one and get their first victory since Jan. 29 in front of maybe 5,000 fans. 119-105 Sixers.
