The Philadelphia 76ers take on the Portland Trail Blazers Monday on League Pass.
Two teams will face off for the first time this season as the Portland Trail Blazers host the Philadelphia 76ers (10 ET, League Pass).
Philadelphia’s climb back into playoff contention is what stands out most in this matchup. The 76ers have won five of its last seven games, including a marquee win on Christmas Day over the Boston Celtics. Portland has also strung together wins lately, winning three of their last five.
Here are five things to know heading into this game:
1. Philadelphia’s big three is finding their groove: Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Paul George have sparingly played together this season due to injuries, but that’s changing at the right time. Maxey is riding a stretch of three straight 30-point games, with two of those also being double-doubles. Embiid scored 32 points in their last outing in Utah and George has played in 11 of the team’s last 12 games without any setbacks.
2. 76ers looking to extend their longest winning streak of the season: Philadelphia is aiming for its fourth consecutive win tonight, which could tie them with the Detroit Pistons for the 10th spot in the Eastern Conference. This is a vast improvement from their 5-15 start to the season.
3. Portland’s young core is playing with confidence: The Trail Blazers are the second youngest team in the NBA. Shaedon Sharpe is their leading scorer with 18.6 points per game. Scoot Henderson, who hit the game-winning shot against the Utah Jazz last week, has also been playing well lately. He’s averaging 11.1 points and 4.3 assists in December.
4. Exciting finishes in recent games: The 76ers have six games decided by six points or less across December, while the Trail Blazers have four. Maxey dazzled in the final minute against the San Antonio Spurs last week, while Anfernee Simons’ shot at the buzzer gave Portland the win over the Denver Nuggets.
5. Expect one-on-one buckets. One trait these teams share is their lack of assists. Portland averages the third-fewest per game with 22.9, with Philadelphia’s 21.8 being last so far this season. The two teams are also in the bottom five for points per game among all teams. Expect more of a half-court game than a shootout.
