After two days off to rest and enjoy some home cooking the 4-3 Cavaliers play their third consecutive home game, this one against the surprising Philadelphia 76ers. The Sixers are 5-2 but that might be misleading as they do not have a win over a team with a winning record. In addition, they played the Bulls in Chicago last night so they will be playing the second night of a back-to-back on the road while the Cavs had two days off.
The Sixers split with Boston, both games being decided by one point, so I would say those teams are equal. The Celtics are 3-5.
Jared McCain played his first game since last December last night. He had a knee injury, then tore a ligament in his shooting thumb in September. He was scoreless in 15 minutes so it appears he’s not ready yet. He scored 34 in his only game against the Cavs last year.
Paul George is still out and Joel Embiid is unlikely to play on the second night of a back-to-back. He played 26 minutes last night which is a season high.
From the ESPN season preview:
Biggest thing we'll be talking about this season: How much will Joel Embiid play -- and what will he look like when he does? That has been the dominant question in Philadelphia for years, and it is yet again after he played just 19 games last season and is coming back from yet another knee surgery. If Embiid can regain his MVP form, the 76ers could be a factor in the East. If he can't? Well, it could be another long season in Philly.
Biggest strength: Backcourt depth. Not only do the 76ers have Tyrese Maxey, but they've also got Quentin Grimes, Jared McCain and VJ Edgecombe, the No. 3 pick in June's draft. This team is light up front but has a lot of perimeter firepower and should play fast and find success in the open floor.
Biggest concern: What else could it be but health? Embiid and Paul George are questions…This team's health (or lack thereof) has been a central storyline for a decade, and it could derail another Sixers season.
From the Yahoo Sports season prevew:
No NBA team lost more games to injury last season than the Sixers — the primary reason why a Philadelphia squad that began last season with the third-best odds of winning the East wound up sputtering toward the bottom of the conference and picking third in the 2025 NBA Draft…
Sixers head coach Nick Nurse sure seems to like the look of the Edgecombe-Maxey backcourt — perhaps to the point of starting the two lightning-quick guards together. Perhaps, even, to the point of rolling out a three-guard alignment featuring the just-re-signed Quentin Grimes, who, upon arriving in a midseason trade…balled the hell out: 21.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.5 steals per game…
While all three have plus wingspans…that’s an awfully small group across the perimeter. If Nurse rolls with either George or Kelly Oubre Jr. at the 4…Philly would boast one of the smaller starting fives in the league. That, in turn, would place an even heavier rim-protection and defensive-rebounding burden on the center spot — not exactly an ideal set of circumstances with Embiid coming off yet another injury-ravaged campaign and subsequent surgery, and with question marks…waiting behind him.
That’s the conundrum in a nutshell. The Sixers have effectively built two rosters: one veteran-laden group tilted toward trying to immediately contend for a title (Embiid, George, Drummond, Oubre, Kyle Lowry, Eric Gordon) and one 25-and-under crew pointed toward several years down the line (Maxey, McCain, Edgecombe, Grimes).
Those are the previews but what’s happening so far? From a Sixers web site before their loss to Chicago:
They are 5-1, in first-place in the Eastern Conference and with the league's No. 2 offensive rating, and they have done so with Joel Embiid a shell of himself and Paul George not playing a single minute. Instead, their young core has stepped up in a major way.
Tyrese Maxey has been one of the best players in the entire league thus far, averaging 33.7 points and nine assists per game. He leads the NBA in minutes per game, field goal attempts and made 3-pointers, and he is shooting 46.4 percent from deep on a whopping 9.3 attempts per game.
Right next to him are the other members of this breakout backcourt for the Sixers. Quentin Grimes…is putting up 19.2 points per game and shooting 45.2 percent himself from deep. Rookie VJ Edgecombe has been a revelation in his first two weeks of NBA action, putting up 20.3 points per game, hitting 42.1 percent from deep and adding five rebounds, five assists and 1.5 steals per game.
The 76ers have five different players averaging at least 17 points per game this season when you add in Joel Embiid (fifth on the team with 17.3 points per game) and Kelly Oubre, who is running and gunning his way to 19.5 points and 6.3 rebounds. The four-man lineup of Oubre, Maxey, Edgecombe and Grimes has played 62 minutes together this season and is outscoring opponents by 46.9 points per 100 possessions.
It's unrealistic to expect this group to shoot the lights out for the entire season, and at some point opponents will take advantage of their lack of size playing three guards together. They are somewhat lucky to be 5-1, needing some come-from-behind wins to prop up their record…
They failed to mention that Jared McCain, who was on his way to being the Rookie of the Year last season when he got hurt, also has not played this year. When everybody is healthy this team will be able to score like nobody’s business.
Even without Paul George, without McCain, and with Embiid averaging 22 minutes and skipping games the Sixers lead the NBA in points per game. However, they are 20th in points allowed per game. They have a small lineup that scores a lot but gives up a lot. It will be interesting to see how Kenny attacks their three-guard lineup - does he go small to counter their quickness or big to try and dominate the glass?
The Sixers are 25th in defensive rebounding percentage so the Cavs should crash the offensive glass. The Sixers rank 27th in second chance points allowed. But Philly is 9th in offensive rebound percentage so the Cavs need to get lots of bodies on the defensive glass.
Offensively the Sixers are average in 3-point rate but they are 4th in 3-point shooting percentage at 40.6%. Maxey is hitting 46% of his 3’s, Grimes 45%, and Edgecomb and Oubre are at 42%. When Embiid doesn’t play the Sixers have no inside threat with Drummond and Bona, so the Cavs need to keep switching on the perimeter and contest the 3-point shooters.
For the Cavs Garland, Merrill, and Allen are all listed as game time decisions. Darius averaged 26 ppg in three games against the Sixers last year. He could make his first appearance.
Defensively the Sixers are last in fast break points allowed per game. I don’t know why because they commit the 6th fewest turnovers per possession.
Their strength defensively is defending the 3-point shot where they lead the NBA at 31%. They only rank 26th in defending 2-point shots, obviously due to their lack of size. The Cavs should attack the rim on these guys. Maxey, Grimes, and Edgecomb are 6’2”, 6’4, and 6’4”. Oubre is 6’8” but a slim 203 pounds. Drummond and Adem Bona, their centers, are 6’11” and 6’10”. Either Hunter or Mobley is going to be guarded by somebody who is 6’4”.
So on defense the Cavs need to contest the 3’s and run them off the line. The Sixers rank 24th in 2-point percentage. The Cavs also need to control the defensive glass and fast break at every opportunity because the Sixers are last in fast break points allowed.
On offense the Cavs should avoid taking excessive 3’s since no team defends that shot better than the Sixers. Attack the rim or take mid-range shots over their shorter defenders. Crash the offensive glass as the Sixers are well below average at defensive rebounding and rank 27th in second chance points allowed.
Maxey and Edgecomb played 39 and 38 minutes last night in their last second loss to the Bulls. Maxey had 39 points. The Sixers should be tired after last night’s game went down to the final shot as the Sixers blew a 24-point lead. The Cavs are well rested so they will have that advantage plus the home court.
Injury Report
CLEVELAND
Jarrett Allen - QUESTIONABLE (finger)
Sam Merrill - QUESTIONABLE (hip)
Darius Garland - QUESTIONABLE (toe)
Max Strus - OUT (foot)
PHILADELPHIA
Paul George - QUESTIONABLE (knee)
Joel Embiid - QUESTIONABLE (rest)
Jared McCain - QUESTIONABLE (rest)
Dominick Barlow - OUT (elbow)