The last two remaining undefeated teams in the Eastern Conference will go head-to-head when the Atlanta Hawks host the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday night. Both teams started off their campaigns 2-0, and will be looking to extend their streak to three straight wins to start off the season. 

Early in the season, the Sixers have been buoyed by a strong defense and balanced offensive attack, as all five of their starters -- Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons, Tobias Harris, Al Horford, and Josh Richardson -- plus Mike Scott are all scoring in double figures over the first two contests. The health of Embiid will be something to keep an eye on in this one after he missed the team's second game of the season with an ankle injury that he suffered in the opener. He was initially listed as questionable for the contest against the Hawks, but has a chance to play. If so, it will be interesting to see how much he is able to contribute on the court. 

For the Hawks, second year sharpshooter Trae Young has helped to lead them to an unexpectedly strong start with a scorching start to the season. He has had help from Atlanta's frontcourt, though, as forward Jabari Parker, John Collins and De'Andre Hunter are averaging at least 10 points per game early on. 

In an open Eastern Conference, both teams will be looking to make some major noise as the season wears on and the playoffs approach. With that said, here's everything you need to know about the Monday night match-up between the Sixers and Hawks. 

How To Watch

  • Date: Monday, Oct. 28 | 7:30 p.m. ET
  • Location: State Farm Arena -- Atlanta, Georgia 
  • TV: NBA League Pass 
  • Odds: PHI -220 | ATL +180 | (O/U 222 ) 

Storylines 

76ers: The strong start to the season for the Sixers doesn't come as a surprise since many expect them to make it all the way to the NBA Finals following the major moves that they made over the offseason. So far, Philly's defense has been predictably strong, while the offense is still trying to find its footing, especially from long distance. The Sixers have benefited from some solid play from rookie Matisse Thybulle early on, and they will need to get continued contributions from their bench if they are going to reach their full potential as a team. 

Hawks: The Hawks are looking to make the jump back into the Eastern Conference playoff picture this season, and so far so good. Thanks to the continued development of Trae Young, the Hawks look like they could be one of the last eight teams standing in the conference when all is said and done. The Sixers will be the most formidable test that the Hawks have faced so far this season, so it will a nice for them to see how they fare against a bona fide title contender. 

Game prediction, pick

While the two teams have the same record at this point in the season, the Sixers are the more talented team as they simply have more top-tier talent than the Hawks do. Philadelphia's stated goal of securing the top seed in the East means that it can't afford to take nights off, especially this early in the season. In other words, the 76ers should be locked in against the Hawks on Monday night. 

The Hawks certainly have a shot at pulling out a win if Trae Young is able to go off, but the Sixers specifically addressed their perimeter defense over the offseason, so they should be able to keep him in check. Pick: 76ers (-5.5)