Game 17 Preview: Joel Embiid returns as Sixers look to defeat LeBron James, Cavaliers

The Sixers have won four of their last six home games, averaging 104.5 and surrendering 102.5 points per contest. They won just seven home games all of last season. (Matt Rappa/Sports Talk Philly)

By Matt Rappa, Sports Talk Philly editor

PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia 76ers (4-12) will look to snap their two-game losing skid as they take on forward LeBron James and the Eastern Conference-best Cleveland Cavaliers (12-2) in a Sunday matinee at the Wells Fargo Center.

It will be the two team's second of three meetings this season, as well as the Sixers' final contest of their current five-game home stretch; Philadelphia has won two of the four games, with victories over the Phoenix Suns (120-105) and Miami Heat (101-94) on Nov. 19 and 21, respectively. The Sixers fell to the Memphis Grizzlies in double overtime, 104-99, on Wednesday and dropped their 12th game of the season in a 105-89 defeat to the Chicago Bulls on Friday, without center Joel Embiid (rest).

The Sixers have fallen in seven straight regular season games to the Cavaliers, however as Brian Seltzer of sixers.com notes, four of the their past six meetings have been determined by seven points or less. The series finale between both teams will take place on March 31, 2017, at the Quicken Loans Center.

Last Meeting

The Cavaliers edged the Sixers 102-101 at the Wells Fargo Center on Nov. 5, thanks to a 25-foot three point jumper by forward Channing Frye with a minute and five seconds left in regulation. In the meeting, James became the NBA's 10th all-time scorer, passing Hall of Fame center Hakeem Olajuwon midway through the opening quarter with a fast-break layup. James posted a game-high 25 points, with Embiid leading the Sixers with 22. Forward Ersan Ilyasova scored 21 points off the bench in his third game as a Sixer.

Frye (personal) is out indefinitely following the Thanksgiving death of his father. His mother passed away last month.

Hot in Cleveland

The Cavaliers enter having won three straight games by 23, 12 and 38-point margins. Cleveland led 96-55 (+41) through the first three quarters against the NBA-worst Dallas Mavericks on Friday. Their 38-point victory tied for the eight-largest win margin in franchise history. Cleveland also became the first team in NBA history to drain 20 three-pointers in consecutive regular season games, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

Embiid's A Go

Embiid will return to the floor on Sunday with a 24-minute restriction as he matches up against center Tristan Thompson. He is not expected to travel with the team as it takes on the Toronto Raptors Monday in Canada. Thompson has committed 3.9 fewer turnovers per game than Embiid, along with 2.5 more rebounds per game. Embiid, however, is outperforming Thompson in the points, assists, steals and blocks per game categories this season.

Untitled


Matchup Preview | November 27, 2016
@
Cleveland Cavaliers
(12-2, 3-1 Away)
  Philadelphia 76ers
(4-12, 4-7 Home)
Stats Comparison (NBA Rank)
112.0 (2)
Points Per Game 97.5 (26)
102.4 (11)
PPG Allowed 106.8 (24)
45.54 (9)
Field Goal % 43.30 (26)
77.08 (14)
Free Throw % 73.27 (27)
39.96 (1)
3-Point % 35.67 (9)
46.0 (4)
Rebounds 43.3 (17)
5.00 (14)
Blocks 5.94 (5)
7.00 (24)
Steals 8.31 (10)
12.6 (10)
Turnovers 17.3 (30)
Projected Starters
Kyrie Irving
Point Guard Sergio Rodriguez
J.R. Smith
Shooting Guard Gerald Henderson
LeBron James
Small Forward Robert Covington
Kevin Love
Power Forward Ersan Ilyasova
Tristan Thompson
Center Joel Embiid
Injury Report
Iman Shumpert (hamstring)
out
  Jerryd Bayless (left wrist soreness)
questionable
Channing Frye (personal)
out
  Nerlens Noel (inflamed plica, left knee)
out
    Ben Simmons (acute fracture, right foot)
out


Game Information:

  • Tip-off: 1 p.m.
  • TV: CSN
  • Radio: 97.5 The Fanatic

Head-to-Head:

  • Season Series: CLE, (1-0)
  • All-time: PHI, (102-98)
    • vs. CLE (home): 60-39
    • at CLE (away): 42-57
    • Sixers, PPG: 102.9; Cavaliers, PPG: 101.7
  • Streak: CLE (W7)

What's Next:

After concluding their five-game homestand against the Cavaliers on Sunday, the Sixers will head north to face the Toronto Raptors on Monday in a back-to-back. Then, they will return home for another four-game home stretch starting Wednesday night against center DeMarcus Cousins and the Sacramento Kings.

  • Monday, Nov. 28: at Toronto Raptors; 7:30 p.m.; TV: TCN, Radio: 97.5 The Fanatic
  • Wednesday, Nov. 30: vs. Sacramento Kings; 7 p.m.; TV: CSN, Radio: 97.5 The Fanatic
  • Friday, Dec. 2: vs. Orlando Magic; 7 p.m.; TV: CSN, Radio: 97.5 The Fanatic
Go to top button