Indiana @ Philadelphia preview

Last Meeting ( Apr 10, 2017 ) Indiana 120, Philadelphia 111

The Philadelphia 76ers are cruising right along behind the dynamic duo of Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons, but one of their many former top picks isn't having quite as much fun of late. The 76ers will likely leave center Jahlil Okafor on the bench again when they go for a fourth straight win while hosting the Indiana Pacers on Friday.

Philadelphia did not pick up the fourth-year contract option on Okafor, who was the No. 3 overall pick in the 2015 draft but played in only one of the team's first eight games this season while sitting behind Embiid on the depth chart. The 76ers are reportedly working to trade the disgruntled center after declining to enter into contract buyout discussions. The Indiana Pacers have their own talented young center in Myles Turner who has only played in one game this season due to a concussion suffered in the opener, leaving the door open for Domantas Sabonis to make his mark in the starting lineup. The second-year center, who came over in the deal that sent Paul George to Oklahoma City, is averaging 13.1 points and 11.1 rebounds and recorded a double-double in each of the last three games - all wins.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, FS Indiana, NBCS Philadelphia

ABOUT THE PACERS (5-3): Indiana began its three-game winning streak by beating the San Antonio Spurs and made another early statement on Wednesday by rolling to a 124-107 win at Cleveland. "Our guys executed offensively," Pacers head coach Nate McMillan told reporters. "We moved the ball and got it to the open man. We played the game the right way. We talk about that all the time, you play the game the right way and normally good things happen." Indiana shot 54.4 percent from the field and 16-of-26 from 3-point range against the Cavaliers and enters play Thursday fourth in the NBA in team field-goal percentage at .483.

ABOUT THE 76ERS (4-4): The big difference so far this season is the emergence of rookie point guard Ben Simmons, who is averaging 18.5 points on 53 percent shooting, 9.6 rebounds and 7.9 assists. "I’m finding where I can score, where I can be effective," Simmons told reporters. "I’m still learning that part of the game It’s coming to me a lot more." Simmons nearly pulled off his second triple-double with 19 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists in 34 minutes on Wednesday to lead Philadelphia to its first home win, 119-109 over Atlanta.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Pacers PG Darren Collison scored 25 points on 9-of-10 shooting on Wednesday after totaling 11 points on 4-of-14 in the previous two contests.

2. Philadelphia PF Richaun Holmes (wrist) could make his season debut on Friday.

3. Indiana took three of the four meetings last season and eight of the last nine in the series.

PREDICTION: 76ers 113, Pacers 108