Back-to-backs are challenging enough for an inferior roster as it is. They become especially difficult when it comes less than 24 hours after blowing a nine-point fourth quarter lead with six minutes to go to the division leader. To add an injury to that insulting loss, they also have lost their sixth man for the season with a torn ACL.
That is the position the Philadelphia 76ers find themselves tonight in Memphis, just one day after blowing a lead in the final minute to the Atlantic Division-leading Raptors. While in Memphis, they learned they will be without for Grizzlie Tony Wroten for a significant amount of time with the torn ligament in his knee. Coming in at 30-12, the Grizzlies are the second-best team in the Western Conference.
So, how do the Sixers get up for this game?
Speaking of blowing leads in the final minute, that’s actually exactly what happened the last time the Sixers matched up with Memphis. Back on December 13, the Sixers squandered an 18-point fourth quarter lead, then with 4 seconds left blew a 3-point lead as Brett Brown inexplicitly decided not to foul ahead by three.
"That is a cruel loss. That is a very cruel loss," Sixers coach Brett Brown said after the game that evening.
Michael Carter-Williams remarked after that game he was “upset”, and was particularly frustrated at the way he played. The sophomore point guard gave away a few key turnovers and missed every shot he took in overtime.
Not far removed from the last meeting, perhaps it serves as revenge bait for the Sixers, enabling them to come out strong. You would have to think a revenge-type game is much more motivating that say a back-end of consecutive games against a team like Brooklyn or Indiana.
With a strong showing tonight, the Sixers can essentially get the poor taste of defeat from two nights out of their mouth, both from the Memphis and Toronto games. Two birds…one ball?
Game Notes:
- To quantify how brutal fourth quarters have been to the Sixers, not just against Toronto and Memphis—they have lost six games in which they’ve held a lead in the final period.
- After returning from his illness against New York, Nerlens Noel scored his second double-double in the last four games.
- Mike Conley is shooting at an improved rate this season, as the Sixers saw in his 36 point performance in December. He has exceeded career highs thus far with 17.9 ppg, 46% shooting field goals and 42.2% from three.
- Philadelphia has gone 1-8 against the West on the road, with the lone win being their first win of the season in Minnesota.
- Memphis will be playing with a new addition since the last meeting—former Celtic forward Jeff Green. He is averaging 13 points per game in his five games since joining the Grizzlies.
Injuries:
Memphis’ Beno Udrih (knee) will play tonight. For Philadelphia, as mentioned earlier, Tony Wroten will be out indefinitely with a torn ACL. He joins Joel Embiid (foot) and Jason Richardson (knee/foot) on the “out indefinitely” list.
Projected Lineups:
Philadelphia:
PG- Michael Carter-Williams
SG- K.J. McDaniels
SF- Robert Covington
PF- Luc Richard Mbah a Moute
C- Nerlens Noel
Memphis:
PG- Mike Conley
SG- Courtney Lee
SF- Tony Allen
PF- Zach Randolph
C- Marc Gasol
Prediction: Coming in on three days rest, the Grizzlies out-pace the Sixers early and ride to an easy 109-89 victory.
