76ers vs. Nets: Key Talking Points

On Sunday, the Philadelphia 76ers travel to the Big Apple, where they are set to take on the Brooklyn Nets, a team who they have yet to play in the regular season.

The last time they played the Nets was in the preseason, where the Sixers came out on top, 127-119, thanks in part to a 21 point outing from Kelly Oubre Jr, as well as impressive defensive performances from De'Anthony Melton and Jaden Springer, with the partnership combining for seven steals.

While a lot has happened since then, Philadelphia comes into the match half a game above the Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference standings, sitting a whole game behind the Boston Celtics, so a win on Monday would help bolster their stance at the towards the top of the table.

What to look out for:

Can De'Anthony Melton continue his offensive hot streak?

Recently, Melton has been on another level offensively, starting all the way with his two back-to-back ten point outings last week.

Since then, the former USC guard dropped 30 points against the Indiana Pacers, then following it up with two notable outings against the Boston Celtics and the Atlanta Hawks.

Over this stint, the 25-year-old is averaging 16 points, while shooting 48 percent from the field, with an increased 53 percent from down town.

This is a completely different from how Melton started the season, struggling to make a bucket, averaging seven points on 28 percent shooting.

Will Joel Embiid continue to add to his record against the Nets?

Joel Embiid is never afraid to rise to the occasion against big teams, consistently delivering against the aforementioned Celtics and Bucks. Yet, another team that can be added to the list is the Nets.

In his 19 games against Brooklyn, Embiid is averaging 29 points and 11 rebounds, which includes 49 percent accuracy from the field, and 40 percent from beyond the arch.

The reigning MVP missed the opportunity to add to these numbers during last season's first round against the Nets, as he sat out of the second half of the series with a sprained right knee.

How big is the absence of Ben Simmons and Cam Thomas for Brooklyn?

While Philadelphia will be without Oubre Jr, Brooklyn will be without two of impactful players, as Cam Thomas continues to be sidelined with a left ankle sprain, while Ben Simmons is out for the foreseeable future with nerve impingements in his lower back.

With Thomas out, Jacque Vaughn is without his leading offensive option, as the 22-year-old was averaging 27 points per game, notably thanks to his 45 point outing against the Bucks just before he went out with his injury.

While Simmons hasn't gotten back to the scoring numbers he recorded during his time with Philadelphia, he has been able to help the Nets out in other ways, averaging a team-high 11 rebounds and seven assists per game.

Since Thomas' injury, former Philadelphia first round pick Mikal Bridges has started to heat up on the offensive end, putting up 21 points and seven rebounds per game.