The Liberty Ballers staff wishes you a happy holiday! There’s no better way to unwind from the stressful holiday season than watching the Philadelphia 76ers play the Boston Celtics, right?

The Sixers are coming off a dramatic win against the San Antonio Spurs in which Andre Drummond was ejected from the game, then ejected again, and Joel Embiid was later ejected. At least from the referee’s perspective, the bar for this game is low. From a team perspective, it was a very encouraging win as this game in Boston laid the foundation for the year to really turn around.

Before we get into some key areas to keep an eye on, there are a few names on the injury report for both teams. As expected, Joel Embiid is a good fit for this game. Andre Drummond is questionable with a toe sprain that sidelined him for most of the Spurs game. KJ Martin will also be out for a few weeks due to a stress reaction. For the Celtics, players Jrue Holiday, Jayson Tatum and Derrick White are all listed as questionable.

The reigning champion Celtics were exactly what many imagined they would be at the start of the season – a top-notch team with a wealth of talent surrounding their two All-Stars, Jaylen Brown and Tatum. Payton Prichard, in particular, was the biggest surprise as he averaged just under 16 points and made a serious run for the Sixth Man of the Year award.

From a defensive perspective, there is no better test for the new-look Sixers than the Celtics. It all starts with their star wing duo, with Paul George, Kelly Oubre Jr. and Caleb Martin likely to handle the bulk of the duties. At the other end of the field, White and Holiday (if available) will make life difficult for Tyrese Maxey, who is putting in one of his strongest performances of the season.

The Celtics have placed an emphasis on acquiring mobile bigs capable of shooting and making plays from distance, which will test Embiid’s agility on defense. Since returning from injury/suspension he has moved well and looks like the Embiid we all know. He should have fresh legs, especially after the last game, considering he only played around nine minutes.

This game will be just the third full game where the Sixers have had their Big 3 of Maxey, George and Embiid in 27 regular season games. Aside from the playoffs, Christmas Day offers teams the biggest stage they will have all season. A strong showing from the Sixers against their rivals and defending champions would restore confidence in a season marked by negativity.

Luckily, it seems like the Sixers are turning things around. They are 7-3 in their last 10 games, with their offense rising from the bottom of the standings to 17th overall. Their defense was also the 10th best in the league during that time. This year, the Celtics ranked 10th in offense and seventh in defense.

To conclude this preview, we would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. We’ll soon find out whether the Sixers give us a holiday treat or leave us with a lump of coal.

Game details

WHO: Philadelphia 76ers vs. Boston Celtics

When: 5:00 p.m. ET

Where: TD Garden, Boston, MA

Regard: ABC, ESPN, ESPN+, Disney+

Radio: 97.5 The Fanatic

Consequences: @LibertyBallers