After a closer-than-expected win over the Nets on Saturday, the Philadelphia 76ers host the Portland Trail Blazers in yet another matchup without Joel Embiid, among many other absent players.
Who: Portland Trail Blazers (32-35) at Philadelphia 76ers (36-31)
When: 6 p.m. EST
Where: XFinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia, Pa.
Watch: NBC Sports Philadelphia, NBA League Pass
The Sixers are in a tough spot as they're currently ninth in the Eastern Conference playoff race, but without Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, Paul George, and Kelly Oubre Jr., who, along with Jabari Walker, are all out for Sunday's game, their playoff hopes are slowly fading. What was looking like a very promising season with the return to form of Embiid, the emergence of rookie VJ Edgecombe, Tyrese Maxey taking yet another leap forward, and Paul George starting to find a rhythm prior to his suspension, has fallen apart as the injuries have mounted.
VJ Edgecombe and Quentin Grimes are trying their best to lead a lineup featuring Dominick Barlow, Adem Bona, Cam Payne, and two-way players. While those players have all excelled at times in their limited roles, playing starters has proven to be a tougher pill to swallow as the team fights for a final playoff spot. None of this is anyone's fault, except for George's suspension, but the Sixers seem to be in the same position as last year, with only a better record so far.
The win over the Nets is a good example of what has been going wrong for the team all season. In the first half, despite the limited roster, they jumped out to a 23-point lead that was nearly erased in the second half. As a team, they shot just 12.5% on three-point attempts and nearly let a troubled Nets team complete a huge comeback. It's a credit to the players, especially Justin Edwards, who didn't hit a single three but still managed 19 points on the night with some great mid-range makes. The Sixers will need everyone to deliver their best performances to beat the Blazers.
The Trail Blazers are heading East after just beating the Jazz in Portland, 124-114, as they battle for a spot in the play-in portion of the NBA playoffs. Currently, they hold the tenth and final spot in a crowded Western Conference, but a few games, starting with the injured Sixers, could help them move closer to the Warriors and Clippers, the two teams directly above them in the standings.
With injuries of their own, the road is just as tough for the Blazers as it seems for Philly, but they've had Jrue Holiday providing some veteran leadership as he finished the Jazz game with 25 points, five rebounds, and eight assists. Deni Avdija is the team's leading scorer this season and finished with 17 points, six rebounds, and eight assists.
The team will need more from those two, as Shaedon Sharpe is out for another four weeks, and Sidy Cissoko, Scoot Henderson, and Donovan Clingan will all need to step up, as they have lately. While the Blazers are one of the worst three-point shooting teams in the league, they can find comfort in having good games against bad teams and in the Sixers' habit of allowing open shooters on the perimeter.
Quentin Grimes is getting the time and touches that he saw last season, and the audition for a contract, whether from the Sixers or otherwise, is officially on. A big help for the Sixers will be getting Edgecombe some open looks and having Justin Edwards continue to succeed in extended minutes. Edwards has often been an afterthought this year, but has shown improvement and now has an opportunity. The two young players could be huge for the Sixers tonight on both ends of the court.
For the Sixers, the key is to shut down any outside rhythm the Blazers may try to get going while also being mindful of the low-post scoring and rebounding that seem to elude the team on most nights. If the trio of Grimes, Edwards, and Edgecombe can find some rhythm early and coach Nick Nurse uses the limited bench to counter the Blazers' rotation, the Sixers should come away with another sneaky win as they fight for their playoff lives.
Sixers 119 - Trail Blazers 111
