9:05 pm
December 30

76ers @ Trail Blazers

Who will WIN this matchup?

Philadelphia 76ers (23-13)

@ Portland Trail Blazers (20-15)

 

Current odds:

Philadelphia 76ers: (+130)

Portland Trail Blazers: (-150)

 

• The line for this game is Blazers by 3 points.

• The Philadelphia 76ers could be without star center Joel Embiid when they continue their five-game road trip Sunday against the Portland Trail Blazers. Embiid recorded 23 points, 15 rebounds and five blocked shots in Thursday’s 114-97 win at Utah but missed Saturday’s practice due to knee pain and might sit out his first game of the season due to injury.  Mike Muscala likely would start in place of Embiid for Philadelphia, which is 1-1 on its trek and has won seven of its last 12 road games after opening 0-5 away from home.

• The Trail Blazers won at Golden State on Thursday before falling to the Warriors at home two days later. Damian Lillard collected 40 points in the 115-105 loss for Portland, which was beginning a stretch during which it plays seven of eight and 13 of 19 at home.

• Ben Simmons recorded his 17th career triple-double in the win over the Jazz while JJ Redick continued his hot stretch with 24 points while making 6-of-9 3-pointers. “I was patient,” Redick, who is 14-for-24 from beyond the arc over his last three games, told reporters. “I got a couple looks in transition, but other than that, I was just making good reads and one-dribble 3-pointers leaning one way or the other.” Muscala is trending in the other direction, going 4-for-16 from long range over the same span while missing his only two-point attempt.

• Portland received very little from its bench on the front end of its back-to-back set, as eight reserves combined to produce 14 points on 5-of-21 shooting. Lillard was on the court for 39 minutes after playing 41 at Golden State, and he has struggled with zero days of rest between games – averaging 19 points on 41.1 percent shooting compared to 28.1 on 45.6 percent in all other contests. Jusuf Nurkic averaged 24 points and 11 rebounds in the home-and-home set with the Warriors and has registered four double-doubles over his last five games.

• Simmons is averaging 17 points, 10.9 rebounds and 8.3 assists this month.

• Blazers SG CJ McCollum is 4-for-31 from 3-point range over a six-game span.

• Portland has won four straight meetings at home.

• Joel Embiid (knee) ruled out Sunday.

5/10
Confidence
StreakSmarter Pick
Portland Trail Blazers
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