After only playing eight games during the first three weeks of December, the Sixers will see their schedule get back to normal moving forward -- perhaps even overcorrecting a bit, as they have plenty of back-to-backs coming up, even after their pair of games this past Friday and Saturday nights.
In the upcoming week, the Sixers will kick things off with a home contest on Monday before playing a Christmas Day game nearby on Wednesday. After that one, the team will conclude its week by boarding a lengthy flight and logging the first of four West Coast battles.
Let's preview the week ahead, with a focus on one Sixer whose contributions could be particularly valuable in each matchup:
vs. San Antonio Spurs (Monday, 7 p.m.)
Sixer to watch: Joel Embiid
Embiid is really the "Sixer to watch" in every game, but Monday's battle against a young San Antonio team which is outperforming expectations is one in which Embiid's dominance would be especially helpful. In case you haven't heard, the Spurs have a pretty special center of their own...
The 7-foot-3 Victor Wembanyama, who does not turn 21 years old for another few weeks, is a full-blown superstar is second NBA season. Wembanyama has been one of the highest-volume scorers in the NBA on well-above-average efficiency, and is the runaway favorite to win Defensive Player of the Year after finishing as a runner-up as a rookie.
But Wembanyama faced Embiid one time last season -- and it is safe to say Embiid had the upper hand:
Embiid will not put 70 points on Wembanyama and the Spurs again, but if he can outperform his counterpart at the center position on both ends of the floor, it will be tremendously difficult for San Antonio to notch a win.
MORE: Embiid talks return in win, gets candid on emotions in light of injuries
@ Boston Celtics (Wednesday, 5 p.m.)
Sixer to watch: Caleb Martin
Martin missed three consecutive games before returning to action for the Sixers in Cleveland on Saturday night, dealing primarily with a shoulder injuries but also grappling with plenty of lingering ailments. Martin has not been the best version of himself as a Sixer, but head coach Nick Nurse expressed confidence that when Martin is right, he will be a critical contributor for the team which inked him to a four-year contract over the summer:
While it is true that Martin's longstanding track record as a hard-nosed defender on the wing gives him the chance to make a difference against a Celtics team led by Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, there is also some history here. Martin is one of the league's foremost tormentors of the Celtics. His stunning performance in the 2023 Eastern Conference Finals to help the eighth-seeded Heat upset a 57-win Celtics team -- including a career night in a Game 7 played at the TD Garden -- is famous in most places, but infamous in Boston:
Over the summer, Martin seemed to appreciate the irony of his future role in helping the Sixers try to upend Boston in the playoffs one day -- as his Heat did two years ago. Of course, Martin will be needed to play like the Miami version of himself against more than one opponent. But there would be no better time and place for him to finally look like the player the Sixers believed they were adding.
MORE: Sixers confident Martin will look stronger upon returning
@ Utah Jazz (Saturday, 9:30 p.m.)
Sixer to watch: Guerschon Yabusele
Yabusele, who only scored two baskets across a three-game stretch entering Friday's win over the Hornets, got back on track with a solid showing off the bench which was punctuated with this poster slam:
Nurse has frequently expressed a desire for the Sixers to boast more size in their lineups on a game-by-game basis, and with rookie guard Jared McCain now sidelined indefinitely after undergoing surgery on his left meniscus, Nurse has had no choice but to do just that.
The team's starting power forward spot alongside Tyrese Maxey, Kelly Oubre Jr., Paul George and Embiid appears to currently be up for grabs with Yabusele and KJ Martin as the main contenders, though Caleb Martin could certainly work his way back into that picture if Nurse elects to go a bit smaller.
In any case, the Sixers will need every bit of size they can muster against an Utah team which frequently opens games with three bigs on the floor. With the 7-foot, 245-pound Walker Kessler in the middle, Utah also likes to start John Collins, who is listed at 6-foot-9 and 235 pounds. Then there is another seven-footer, Lauri Markkanen, who in a down season entered Saturday night's action averaging 19.0 points and 6.6 rebounds per game on terrific efficiency.
Having formidable counters to Utah's size -- the team's lone consistent strength -- will be crucial for the Sixers as they look to take what should be a secure victory to begin their West Coast swing.
MORE: Dec. 15 has passed. Who can the Sixers trade for?
Follow Adam on Twitter: @SixersAdam
Follow PhillyVoice on Twitter: @thephillyvoice