Philadelphia 76ers 2012-13 Schedule: Monthly Breakdown and W-L Predictions

The Philadelphia 76ers are in for an exciting season. Coming off a more active than usual offseason, they still seem eager to compete, and that's exactly what they will do.

With many teams improving in the offseason, there is no doubt the Sixers will see some tough matchups along the way. However, they will fight their way through for another good season.

Now, I can't tell the future. The following predictions are a mix of a gut-feelings and realistic standpoint. 

So sit back and take a look at what your Philadelphia 76ers are in for this season...

October/November Schedule

-Wednesday, Oct. 31 vs. Denver Nuggets

-Sunday, November 4 @ New York Knicks

-Monday, November 5 vs. New York Knicks

-Wednesday, November 7 @ New Orleans Hornets

-Friday, November 9 @ Boston Celtics

-Saturday, November 10 @ Toronto Raptors

-Monday, November 12 vs. Milwaukee Bucks

-Wednesday, November 14 vs. Detroit Pistons

-Friday, November 16 vs. Utah Jazz

-Sunday, November 18 vs. Cleveland Cavaliers

-Tuesday, November 20 vs. Toronto Raptors

-Wednesday, November 21 @ Cleveland Cavaliers

-Saturday, November 24 vs. Oklahoma City Thunder

-Sunday, November 25 vs. Phoenix Suns

-Tuesday, November 27 vs. Dallas Mavericks

-Friday, November 30 @ Charlotte Bobcats

Key October/November Games

Wednesday, Oct. 31 vs. Denver Nuggets

I really like to think of the Nuggets as the Sixers of the Western Conference. They are two very similar teams who matchup well. Neither team has a superstar, but they each have a lot of young players who can run the floor. This is a great matchup to tip off the season.

Sunday, November 4 @ New York Knicks

Philadelphia will always be on the Knicks' tail entering the playoffs. Considering there will be another close finish in the playoff seeding, this game certainly has its weight to it.

Friday, November 9 @ Boston Celtics

Let the vengeance begin. The Sixers pushed the Celtics to game seven and will seek revenge on their bitter loss at Boston. The game seven loss and dirty play is the farthest thing from forgotten.

Saturday, November 10 @ Toronto Raptors

The Raptors are one of the handful of teams that improved over the offseason, and some have speculated they could surpass Philly. The Sixers need to show that they are still a better team.

Saturday, November 24 vs. Oklahoma City Thunder

This will be a huge challenge for Philadelphia as they take on arguably the best team in the Western Conference. Last season the Thunder won by just four points, so expect an exciting game here. The Sixers could really show off with a win here.

October/November W-L Prediction: 10-6

Wins: Nuggets, Knicks, Hornets, Bucks, Pistons, Cavaliers, Raptors, Cavaliers, Suns, Bobcats

Losses: Knicks, Celtics, Raptors, Jazz Thunder, Mavericks

Preview and Predictions for October/November

Best One-on-One Matchup of October/November

I'm not sure if you remember, but these two went at it last season. Iguodala held Carmelo Anthony to just 10 points and forced him to shoot 5/15 from the field. A lot of trash talk took place and don't be surprised if more is to come. A great defender versus a great scorer—a challenge they each crave. You can't get any better than that.

Sixers' Best-Case Scenario for October/November

The Sixers enter the season on a mission. They started off last season on fire and could very well do the same this year. Facing top playoff teams like the Celtics, Thunder, and Mavericks, they have a lot to prove. But keep in mind that if they win just one or two of these games early on, it can ignite some serious momentum to start the season.

Sixers' Worst-Case Scenario for October/November

It's possible that the Sixers get banged up early on in back-to-back games against New York and also in Boston. At random times during any season they always find themselves vulnerable to lower end teams, so there is also a chance they could under-perform against a team like the Cavs or Suns.

December Schedule

-Saturday, December 1 @ Chicago Bulls

-Tuesday, December 4 vs. Minnesota Timberwolves

-Friday, December 7 @ Boston Celtics

-Saturday, December 8 vs. Boston Celtics

-Monday, December 10 vs. Detroit Pistons

-Wednesday, December 12 vs. Chicago Bulls

-Friday, December 14 @ Indiana Pacers

-Sunday, December 16 vs. Los Angeles Lakers

-Tuesday, December 18 @ Dallas Mavericks

-Wednesday, December 19 @ Houston Rockets

-Friday, December 21 vs. Atlanta Hawks

-Sunday, December 23 @ Brooklyn Nets

-Wednesday, December 26 @ Memphis Grizzlies

-Friday, December 28 @ Golden State Warriors

-Saturday, December 29 @ Portland Trailblazers

Key December Games

Saturday, December 1 @ Chicago Bulls

After defeating the injury-plagued Bulls in the first round of the playoffs, opening the month in Chicago doesn't really favor the Sixers. They stirred up the wasp's nest and they're in for a serious matchup.

Saturday, December 8 vs. Boston Celtics

The Sixers need some big wins at home to bolster some confidence. Every game matters against a team like the Celtics, and taking one at home just adds to the value.

Friday, December 14 @ Indiana Pacers

The new frontcourt for Philly will have hard time against the tag-team of David West and Roy Hibbert. However, Indiana is also a team the Sixers must stay on-par with throughout the whole season.

December W-L Prediction: 8-7

Wins: Timberwolves, Celtics, Pistons, Bulls, Mavericks, Rockets, Hawks, Warriors

Losses: Bulls, Celtics, Pacers, Lakers, Nets, Grizzlies, Trailblazers

Preview and Predictions for December

Best One-on-One Matchup of December

Jrue Holiday knows he needs to step up defensively against the top point guards. Rajon Rondo provides the perfect challenge. We know Rondo is capable of a triple-double on any given night and Holiday has the ability to get hot from three point range. When they face-off the outcome could very well ride on this individual matchup.

Sixers' Best-Case Scenario for December

They beat out the tough schedule, take down contenders, and prove they are not pretenders. Philly fared well against playoff teams last year, and who knows what can happen if they catch fire at this time. If they do, they easily solidify themselves as a legit playoff team.

Sixers' Worst-Case Scenario for December

This is arguably the most difficult month for them schedule-wise, so they could suffer from it. The Sixers are a very mediocre team on the road. Considering seven of their last nine games of the month are away, they could see a big hit of losses there. Their frontcourt could also get roughed up by guys like LaMarcus Aldridge, Andrew Bynum, Kevin Garnett, Kevin Love and Roy Hibbert. This worst-case just gets uglier and uglier. Moving on...

January Schedule

-Tuesday, January 1 @ Los Angeles Lakers

-Wednesday, January 2 @ Phoenix Suns

-Friday, January 4 @ Oklahoma City Thunder

-Saturday, January 5 @ San Antonio Spurs

-Tuesday, January 8 vs. Brooklyn Nets

-Wednesday, January 9 @ Toronto Raptors

-Saturday, January 12 vs. Houston Rockets

-Tuesday, January 15 vs. New Orleans Hornets

-Friday, January 18 vs. Toronto Raptors

-Monday, January 21 vs. San Antonio Spurs

-Tuesday, January 22 @ Milwaukee Bucks

-Saturday, January 26 vs. New York Knicks

-Monday, January 28 vs. Memphis Grizzlies

-Wednesday, January 30 vs. Washington Wizards

Key January Games

Tuesday, January 1 @ Los Angeles Lakers

Starting off the month in Los Angeles isn't easy. 

Tuesday, January 8 vs. Brooklyn Nets

The Sixers are up against a revamped Brooklyn Nets team who are yet another team that seeks to surpass them.

Tuesday, January 22 @ Milwaukee Bucks

Fans tend to forget that last season the Bucks nearly snagged the eighth seed from the Sixers. Yeah, let's avoid that from happening again.

Saturday, January 26 vs. New York Knicks

Sixers fans, the Knicks just won't go away this season. They'll most likely be their biggest rival because they will be neck and neck all season long.

January W-L Prediction: 10-4

Wins: Suns, Nets, Rockets, Hornets, Raptors, Spurs, Bucks, Knicks, Grizzlies, Wizards

Losses: Lakers, Thunder, Spurs, Raptors

Preview and Predictions for January

Best One-on-One Matchup of January

We are left with yet another great matchup involving Iguodala. Kobe is a relentless scorer who looks for competition, and Iggy will play at his highest level possible. 

Sixers' Best-Case Scenario for January

The Sixers take advantage of the easy schedule and rebound off of a likely cold December (come on, you like the pun!). Philly would take advantage of matchups against the Hornets, Suns, and Wizards. They always have a segment of the season where they turn it on. The month of January could very well be the case of when it happens.

Sixers' Worst-Case Scenario for January

The worst-case scenario this month isn't that scary because it's really hard to picture them tanking here. Therefore the worst case is they don't dominate and never really hit their peak. Instead, they remain slightly above average and hover over the .500 mark this month.

February Schedule

-Friday, February 1 vs. Sacramento Kings

-Monday, February 4 vs. Orlando Magic

-Wednesday, February 6 vs. Indiana Pacers

-Saturday, February 9 vs. Charlotte Bobcats

-Monday, February 11 vs. Los Angeles Clippers

-Wednesday, February 13 @ Milwaukee Bucks

-Wednesday, February 20 @ Minnesota Timberwolves

-Saturday, February 23 vs. Miami Heat

-Sunday, February 24 @ New York Knicks

-Tuesday, February 26 vs. Orlando Magic

-Thursday, February 28 @ Chicago Bulls

Key February Games

Monday, February 4 vs. Orlando Magic

Who knows if Dwight Howard is gone by then, but for today's sake, let's assume he stays. With the offseason saga and depletion to their supporting cast, the Magic are a vulnerable team to fall off in the Sixers' favor.

Saturday, February 23 vs. Miami Heat

This is the first time these two teams face each other in 2013. Despite the evident talent advantage with Miami, the Sixers always seem to keep games close with them. 

Sunday, February 24 @ New York Knicks

I wasn't kidding when I said they could turn out to be their biggest rival.

February W-L Prediction: 5-6

Wins: Kings, Magic, Bobcats, Timberwolves, Bulls

Losses: Pacers, Clippers, Bucks, Heat, Knicks, Magic

Preview and Predictions for February

Best One-on-One Matchup of February

Whether or not they are physically going head-to-head, you are going to see two of the game's best facilitators go to work in one game. Now, obviously James is the better player. However it will be interesting to see how they play each other and who will do the better job that day at distributing the ball.

Sixers' Best-Case Scenario for February

Thanks to a five-game homestand to start the month, the Sixers could find their groove at home and carry on the momentum after the All-Star Break. This would be great because the Sixers slowed down last year after the break. If they grab some wins right before, they could remain consistent for a long period of time.

Sixers' Worst-Case Scenario for February

The Sixers' frontcourt just looks more vulnerable by the month. They could fall twice to Howard and the Magic while also losing to playoff teams like the Pacers and Heat. If so, it will only be a matter of time until the critics come out and call the Sixers pretenders.

March Schedule

-Saturday, March 2 vs. Golden State Warriors

-Sunday, March 3 @ Washington Wizards

-Tuesday, March 5 vs. Boston Celtics

-Wednesday, March 6 @ Atlanta Hawks

-Friday, March 8 @ Miami Heat

-Sunday, March 10 @ Orlando Magic

-Monday, March 11 vs. Brooklyn Nets

-Wednesday, March 13 vs. Miami Heat

-Saturday, March 16 vs. Indiana Pacers

-Monday, March 18 vs. Portland Trailblazers

-Wednesday, March 20 @ Los Angeles Clippers

-Thursday, March 21 @ Denver Nuggets

-Sunday, March 24 @ Sacramento Kings

-Monday, March 25 @ Utah Jazz

-Wednesday, March 27 vs. Milwaukee Bucks

-Friday, March 29 @ Cleveland Cavaliers

-Saturday, March 30 vs. Charlotte Bobcats

Key March Games

Tuesday, March 5 vs. Boston Celtics

By this time, the real contenders for playoff spots will have settled in and games turn into must-wins. Who knows, by this time Lavoy Allen could be the starting power forward and we could see him man-up against Garnett once again.

Friday, March 8 @ Miami Heat

It just stinks to see games scheduled against them because when on their A-game, they are on a whole different level of play. Still, you need to watch out for these games because if they pull away with a win, it can lead to a drastic swing in momentum.

Monday, March 11 vs. Brooklyn Nets

The Nets will be under the Sixers' radar all season long. With their new additions and finally at full health, they could make big strides late in the season.

Saturday, March 16 vs. Indiana Pacers

The Pacers will continue to serve as a burden for the Sixers as they try to work their way up the playoff ladder. 

March W-L Prediction: 9-8

Wins: Wizards, Heat, Magic, Pacers, Blazers, Kings, Jazz, Cavaliers, Trailblazers

Losses: Warriors, Celtics, Hawks, Heat, Nets, Clippers, Nuggets, Bucks

Preview and Predictions for March

Best One-on-One Matchup of March

Yes, Iguodala again facing a premier number one player again. I'm a sucker for a defensive specialist against a top scorer because you really see the best talents of each player come out in these situations. These guys have been division rivals for several years now, so it makes it even more exciting.

Sixers' Best-Case Scenario for March

This is really a wild-card month for Philadelphia because they play so many different teams. They have a quick homestand and then are off to finish the month on the road. The bottom line is they need to show up this month and get ahead. If so, then they could be in for a consistent month of March.

Sixers' Worst-Case Scenario for March

This could be the month where they flop in a lot of their games. In other words, they will lose games that they shouldn't. When looking at all of the big teams they face, smaller teams like the Warriors go unnoticed, and while they receive less attention, the Sixers end up losing to a team like them. Unfortunately there are a few teams like that hiding under the radar this month.

April Schedule

-Wednesday, April 3 @ Charlotte Bobcats

-Friday, April 5 @ Atlanta Hawks

-Saturday, April 6 @ Miami Heat

-Tuesday, April 9 @ Brooklyn Nets

-Wednesday, April 10 vs. Atlanta Hawks

-Friday, April 12 @ Washington Wizards

-Sunday, April 14 vs. Cleveland Cavaliers

-Monday, April 15 @ Detroit Pistons

-Wednesday April 17 @ Indiana Pacers

Key April Games

Tuesday, April 9 @ Brooklyn Nets

It is very possible that the Sixers are within reach of the Nets at this time of the season. Regardless, a matchup against a division rival toward the end of the year is a must-win.

Wednesday April 17 @ Indiana Pacers

For all we know, this could be a make or break game for the Sixers to get into the playoffs.

April W-L Prediction: 4-5

Wins: Bobcats, Hawks, Wizards, Pistons

Losses: Hawks, Heat, Nets, Cavaliers, Pacers

Preview and Predictions for April

Best One-on-One Matchup of April

Two really young point guards on the rise will have their own duel. Holiday and Irving each have the ability to score from long range, drive to hoop and facilitate the offense. No matter what the outcome, you know you will see great basketball played by both of these players.

Sixers' Best-Case Scenario for April

They can finish the season on a strong note and enter the playoffs with much needed momentum. There is going to be a tight playoff race and if the Sixers are able to pickup big wins this month, it could mean the difference between a fifth seed and an eighth seed in the playoffs.

Sixers' Worst-Case Scenario for April

On the other hand, they can unfortunately finish rather lackluster like they did last season, give fans the seasonal heart attack, and enter the playoffs with virtually no momentum. Let's hope this doesn't happen...

Final Predictions

Final Record: 46-36

Despite what critics will say about the Philadelphia 76ers, they will always compete with every team on any given night. It's the young and fiery team they are. 

Ten games above .500 would definitely be a solid season for the young squad. They could end up finishing a little worse, but I think it's safe to assume they'll land a playoff bid finishing over .500.

At times, this schedule can get really rough while at others they catch a break. Either way, the Sixers have shown they can take down a top team, but also underachieve against a team they should beat.

So brace yourselves because no one can tell the future and you never know what can happen with your beloved Sixers.