Sixers to Face Cavs in Final Game of Road Trip
11-day road trip concludes with Tonight's game at the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, OH. Although the Cavs haven't had the greatest of seasons, they do hold a 2-0 record against the Sixers this season. This is the last game of the season series.
After losing two straight, to the hands of the Clippers and Nuggets, the Philadelphia 76ers are looking for a much-needed win. A very lackadaisical outing last time out against Denver should leave a bad taste in the mouth for the Sixers players. The team should also be extra-hungry for a win, trying to avoid getting swept by the Cavs this season. And if more motivation is needed, this will be the last game without Joel Embiid for Philadelphia, as he is set to return on Saturday.
After holding sole possession of the Eastern Conference standings for the entire year, the Sixers have now fallen to 2nd in the East, following a Nets win against Houston. With a win against Cleveland and a Nets loss tonight, Philly can regain sole possession of the East.
Last time out, the Sixers did not have a single-player score above 15 points and got out-rebounded by a total of 17 boards. The Sixers will need spirited efforts from both Ben Simmons and Tobias Harris, as both of them seemed to disappear in the games previous.
The first matchup of the season between the two teams was a convincing win for Cleveland, handing Philadelphia their first loss of the season. When the teams met on February 27, it was a much more tightly contested game, but Cleveland ultimately walked out of Wells Fargo Center with a 112-109 overtime victory.
The Cavs are also coming into this contest heavily short-handed. As of late, Cleveland has been missing seven rotational players. The team hoped to have Jarrett Allen in the rotation, but he has officially been ruled out for tonight's game.
The home team will have to work through their two young and exciting guards. Collin Sexton and Darius Garland have been turning heads this season with their play on the court, some calling them the most improved duo from last season. Sexton, so far this season, is averaging an impressive 24 points per game, guarding him will be no easy task.
Projected starting lineup for the Sixers: Point Guard - Ben Simmons | Shooting Guard - Seth Curry | Small Forward - Danny Green | Power Forward - Tobias Harris | Center - Dwight Howard
Projected starting lineup for the Cavs: Point Guard – Collin Sexton, Shooting Guard – Darius Garland, Small Forward – Dean Wade, Power Forward – Isaac Okoro, Center– Isaiah Hartenstein
Game Time: 7 pm
Watch: NBC Sports Philadelphia/ My Teams App
Listen: 97.5 The Fanatic