The Sixers (20-34) head back on the road to face the Charlotte Hornets (24-30) at the Spectrum Center (7 p.m./CSN, CSNPhilly.com and the NBC Sports app).
Let's take a closer look at the matchup:
1. It's a guarantee
When it comes to sports guarantees, this one is way down the list.
Monday night, when the Sixers and Hornets step on the court, the outcome will have already been decided. At least if you ask Nicolas Batum.
"We're going to win this game on Monday. We will," Batum told the Charlotte Observer.
When asked if he was guaranteeing a victory, Batum followed it up with a simple, "yeah."
That's bold talk from a Hornets team that has dropped nine of its last 10 games to tumble to ninth in the Eastern Conference standings.
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2. Streak stoppers
Perhaps it's the Sixers that should be doing the boasting. After all, with Joel Embiid sidelined with a knee injury and Jahlil Okafor held out because of trade talks, the shorthanded squad was still able to take down the NBA's hottest team.
The Sixers had seven players score in double figures on Saturday to notch a 117-109 win over the Miami Heat. The Sixers' victory snapped the Heat's 13-game win streak, the longest in the league this season.
"They’re the hottest team in the NBA,” T.J. McConnell said. “But with the crowd that we have, we expect to win at home. Yeah, there is a surprise to it and it feels really good any time you get a win. To stop that streak feels even better.”
Now the Sixers will try to carry that momentum into Charlotte and capture their first road win in nearly three weeks (Jan. 25 at Milwaukee).
3. Move the ball
One of the main reasons the Sixers were able to knock off the Heat was their ball movement. They racked up 27 assists on 39 made field goals in the win.
That type of sharing has allowed the Sixers to climb among the NBA's elite in assists — they are ninth in the league with 23.5 per game.
The Hornets are actually right behind them at 10th with 23.4 assists a night.
In each of the first two meetings this season, the team that had more assists finished the game on the winning end. The Sixers had a 26-11 assist margin during a 102-93 win on Jan. 13, while the Hornets took the assist battle 25-23 in a 109-93 victory on Nov. 2.
4. Injuries
Okafor did not travel with the Sixers amid trade rumors. Embiid (knee), Ben Simmons (foot) and Jerryd Bayless (wrist) are out for the Sixers.
Cody Zeller (quad) is a game-time decision. Ramon Sessions (knee) is out for the Hornets.
5. This and that
• The Sixers' win in the last matchup between the two teams snapped a six-game skid against the Hornets.
• Dario Saric is averaging 14.9 points, 5.7 rebounds and 2.1 assists in February.
• Kemba Walker has averaged 18.8 points, 5.5 assists and 4.4 boards against the Sixers during his career.