On Monday, the 76ers (29-15) take on the Portland Trail Blazers (13-33) in an attempt to win their first game of a five-game road trip. On October 29, the Sixers defeated the Lakers 126-98 in the final to win the first meeting in Philadelphia.
The Sixers’ road back-to-back begins with the rematch; they will go to Golden State on Tuesday. After losing to the Chicago Bulls on Sunday, the Blazers will be playing their second game in as many nights.
After a heroic effort in a loss on Saturday in Denver, Philadelphia hopes to turn things around. They will be without Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, Tobias Harris, De’Anthony Melton, Mo Bamba, and Robert Covington.
After shooting 67% from the field, the Sixers were only two points behind the Nuggets at the half
Between the latter two quarters, Denver head coach Michael Malone said, “Give them credit.” “They launched themselves into a fierce attack from the jump ball. Since all of their guys were gone, I believe we got up early and assumed the evening would be simple, but it hasn’t been.
In the fourth quarter, the Nuggets outscored Philadelphia 25–17, winning 111–105
“They performed admirably, evidently engaging in combat,” Nick Nurse remarked of his depleted Sixers. “We played quite physical, I thought. [Jamal] Murray made a few early mistakes, but we mostly corrected things. Throughout the entire game, we were actually making terrific shots; the only exception being a brief period during which three of them were in-and-out from rather close range. That probably puts an end to it.
.l Reed set a new career high with 30 points, making history as the first 76er to do so since Chris Webber in December 2005. “It felt good,” Reed said, “because at the end of the day, it felt like, going out there and trying to win. Got to do whatever it takes to try and win, that was my mindset tonight.” The Sixers will conclude their road trip on Thursday in Utah before beginning a three-game homestand (BKN, DAL, and GSW) on Saturday night.
After falling to Chicago 104-96, Portland comes into the second night of their home back-to-back with a 13-33 record.
With 24 points, Jerami Grant led all scorers in the loss, while Deandre Ayton finished with a 22-point, one-rebound double-double (just one short of his season high). For the Blazers, Malcolm Brogdon contributed 16 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2 steals.
Their two highest scorers, Grant and Anfernee Simons, each average over 20 points per game. Ayton pulls down ten rebounds on average.
On Wednesday, Damian Lillard returns to Portland as a member of the Milwaukee Bucks.
The Portland inactives from the previous night were Shaedon Sharpe (lower abdominal strain), Moses Brown (left wrist fracture), and Robert Williams III (torn right knee ligament).
The Sixers’ injured players are Kenneth Lofton Jr. (personal reasons), Robert Covington (left knee bone bruise), and De’Anthony Melton (back; lumbar spine stress response). On the injury report going into gameday morning, the team classified Tyrese Maxey (left ankle sprain), Joel Embiid (left knee soreness), and Tobias Harris (illness) as questionable.
During his career-best performance against the Nuggets, Reed ended with a game-high 30 points (14-21 FG, 2-4 3FG), a season-high 13 rebounds, and two steals in 42 minutes.
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