The Sixers will travel across the country to take on Damian Lillard and the Blazers
The Sixers (9-63) are going out west coast to take on the Portland Trailblazers (37-36) in a game slated to tip off at 10 PM. The Sixers beat the Blazers the last time these two teams squared off earlier in the season.
Philadelphia is coming of one of the most disappointing losses of the season against the Denver Nuggets. A game they lost because a last second desperation three by rookie Emmanuel Mudiay. If the sixers want to repeat their performance from earlier this year when the beat Portland, they are going to have to follow a similar recipe of containing one of the most dangerous backcourts in all of basketball. The Sixers are on an 11 game losing streak, and they are 1-12 since losing rookie phenome Jahlil Okafor. They are going to need to win at least one more game to avoid tying a franchise and NBA record for ineptitude in one season.
The Trailblazers will be playing with a purpose tonight hoping to get revenge for the unexpected blowout loss earlier this year. The last three weeks have not been kind to them; they have gone 4-8 over their last 12. Currently holding the 6th seed in the Western Conference, they will need a win to keep pace. They will be without the services of big-man Meyers Leonard as he was put on the shelf for the rest of the season earlier this week because of season ending shoulder surgery. The combination of Lillard and C.J. McCollum combine for 27 points on 10 of 36 shooting last time these two teams met. This stealer backcourt will look to rebound from their uncharacteristically poor performance in the previous meeting.
Lineups and points per game:
Sixers
PG Smith 12.3
SG Canaan 10.9
SF Thompson 9.7
PF Landry 8.4
C Noel 11.1
Trailblazers
PG Lillard 25.7
SG McCollum 20.7
SF Aminu 9.7
PF Vonleh 3.7
C Plumlee 9.0
Game time: 10PM
Chanel: TCN
