The Sixers come back home after a five-game road trip to take on the Portland Trail Blazers, who are doing everything they can to avoid playoff elimination, this Friday night at 7:00 in the Wells Fargo Center.
Sixers vs Trailblazers game info
Who: Philadelphia 76ers (41-22) at Portland Trailblazers (29-36)
Where: Target Center, Minnesota
When: 7:30 pm EST
Watch: TNT
Sixers vs Trailblazers betting info
Spread: Sixers +3 | Trailblazers -3
Moneyline: Sixers -+124 | Trailblazers | -145
Points total: Over/Under 228
Philadelphia went 4-1 on their road trip, including a crucial 133-130 win over the Milwaukee Bucks to put them just four and a half games behind the top seed in the Eastern Conference. Any complimentary out-of-conference wins at this point in the season are especially important to bolster the Sixers’ win percentage.
As for the Trail Blazers? The opposite. Portland currently ranks 13th in the Western Conference and is the lowest-ranked team to not be eliminated from playoff contention (Houston Rockets, San Antonio Spurs). They’ll take any win they can get, but that’ll be hard against a Sixers team that won’t back down from anyone.
Joel Embiid has dropped at least 30 points in his last four appearances, including 42 against the Pacers. Until this point, Portland’s defense ranks 18th in efficiency and fourth in defensive rebounds. Don’t expect the dominant rebounding to be there from Embiid, but do expect his dominant offensive streak to continue.
Damian Lillard ranks 3rd in the league in scoring at 32.3 points per game. He’s wowed spectators with his offense, but he’ll need more than that to come up with a win against Doc Rivers. Top performances from players like Cam Reddish and Matisse Thybulle will be needed to secure a win or even come close.
Portland needs a real victory, not a moral one. With Embiid in their way, a physical performance of hustle from the Blazers that’ll keep them in the game until the very end.
AP Photo/Darron Cummings
