The upcoming Philadelphia 76ers matchup against the Charlotte Hornets has been rescheduled to an earlier time due to a severe winter storm affecting much of the United States. The NBA announced that the game will now tip off at 3 p.m. on Monday, instead of the originally planned 7 p.m.
In addition, the start time of the Indiana Pacers versus Atlanta Hawks game has been moved up to 1:30 p.m. on Monday as a precaution against the inclement weather.
The Sixers, currently sitting at a record of 24-20, are coming off a narrow 112-109 defeat to the New York Knicks at the Xfinity Mobile Arena. Star player Joel Embiid, who scored an impressive 38 points in that game, is now sidelined due to a left knee injury and will not participate in Monday’s contest against the Hornets. Paul George will also be absent, managing a similar knee injury.
As the winter storm impacts the region, Philadelphia has reported 9.1 inches of snow, marking the largest snowstorm in the city in the last decade. Comparatively, in 2016, the city experienced a monumental snowfall of 22.4 inches. Nearby areas, such as Allentown in the Lehigh Valley, recorded around a foot of snow.
The storm is expected to diminish by Sunday night; however, the aftermath will result in drastically lower temperatures. Residents should brace for highs in the low 20s and overnight lows that could plunge into single digits and below zero. Given these conditions, it appears that the snowfall will persist for at least the next week, setting the tone for an intensely cold start to February.