Oklahoma City @ Philadelphia preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 15, 2019 ) Philadelphia 119, Oklahoma City 127

A frustrating four-game road trip is finally over for the Philadelphia 76ers, who host the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday in the opener of a two-game homestand. The 76ers dropped all four on the trip and are losers of seven of 10 overall.

"Losing four in a row sucks, and it doesn't feel like we're getting better," Philadelphia center Joel Embiid told reporters after a 118-108 loss at Houston on Friday. "So, it is frustrating. ... I care about winning. It's taking a toll on me. All I care about is winning. It sucks. We've got to find a way. I guess we've got to keep fighting." The 76ers dropped to 7-12 on the road with Friday's setback but own a 16-2 record at home. The Thunder are on a roll with wins in five straight games and nine of their last 10 after rolling over the Cleveland Cavaliers 121-106 on Saturday. Oklahoma City knocked off the San Antonio Spurs in the opener of the four-game road trip and can improve to .500 away from home with a victory on Monday.

TIME: 7 p.m. ET. TV: NBA TV, FS Oklahoma, NBCS Philadelphia

ABOUT THE THUNDER (20-15): Oklahoma City's hot stretch has featured a string of solid performances from second-year guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who is averaging 25.3 points over the last nine games. Gilgeous-Alexander scored 20 points on 9-of-14 shooting in Saturday's win and added a pair of steals - the seventh time in the last nine games that he recorded multiple steals. Point guard Dennis Schroder scored a team-high 22 points on Saturday, the seventh time in the last eight games that he scored 20 or more points off the bench.

ABOUT THE 76ERS (23-14): Philadelphia owns one of the most talented starting fives in the NBA with Embiid, Ben Simmons, Tobias Harris, Al Horford and Josh Richardson, but getting everyone on the same page is a challenge. "We have to figure out a balance of how to (combine) all of our talents together on the floor," Harris told reporters. "I just think what helps that is if we continue to move more on the floor, continue to make plays for one another and do the little things for our teammate. That's something that we have to get better at, and that's something we have to fight through." Simmons recorded a triple-double in Friday's loss, but Horford was held to seven points on 3-of-8 shooting and is 14-of-46 over the last five games.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Thunder C Nerlens Noel (ankle) left Saturday's game and is day-to-day.

2. 76ers SF James Ennis III (illness) sat out Friday and is day-to-day.

3. Oklahoma City turned away Philadelphia 127-119 in overtime at home on Nov. 15.

PREDICTION: 76ers 113, Thunder 109