Feb 28

BOS0-0
PHI0-0
NBCSP+ @6:05 PM UTC
PHI4
PIT5
Final

Mar 1

PHI0-0
DET0-0
@6:05 PM UTC

Mar 2

PHI26-26-8
WPG42-15-3
NBCSP @12:00 AM UTC
GSW32-27
PHI20-38
ABC @1:30 AM UTC
BAL0-0
PHI0-0
NBCSP @6:05 PM UTC
PHI0-0
TOR0-0
@6:07 PM UTC

Mar 4

POR26-33
PHI20-38
NBCSP @12:00 AM UTC

All-Star VanVleet out as Sixers, Raptors start back-to-backs

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The Sixers faced a formidable foe in the Mavericks who entered Friday’s matchup with a 43-26 record. But the Sixers handled business at home in a win that made them look like a legit contender again.

Both the 43-26 Sixers and 39-31 Raptors will begin back-to-back sets Sunday in Philadelphia.

An afternoon matchup between the Flyers and Islanders means the game will start at an unusually late time. Additionally, Monday’s Sixers-Heat meeting has been moved from a 7 to 7:30 p.m. ET tip-off.

As for Sunday night’s action, here are the essentials: 

  • When: 8:30 p.m. ET with Sixers Pregame Live at 8 p.m. 
  • Where: Wells Fargo Center 
  • Broadcast: NBC Sports Philadelphia 
  • Live stream: NBCSportsPhiladelphia.com and the MyTeams app 

And here are storylines to watch: 

Raptors down an All-Star

Fred VanVleet was brilliant in a November duel against Tyrese Maxey, posting 32 points and seven assists in a tight Raptors win. The Sixers won’t have to worry Sunday about the All-Star guard.

After VanVleet played almost 47 minutes Friday in an overtime loss to the Lakers, Toronto ruled him out with a designation of “right knee injury management.” OG Anunoby (right ring finger fracture) and Malachi Flynn (left hamstring strain) are also out. 

Joel Embiid said Friday he imagines he’ll “sit a game or two to finish the year,” but it’s not yet known when he’ll next be off. Embiid was listed as questionable with back soreness for a third straight game.

James Harden has been active six games in a row and played approximately 42 minutes in each of the Sixers’ last two outings, victories over the Cavs and Mavs. 

How will Jordan hold up? 

DeAndre Jordan’s eight-point, seven-rebound performance Friday was likely his best as a Sixer. The team’s Harden-led bench unit fared well and head coach Doc Rivers was pleased with Jordan’s contribution. 

“He was great,” Rivers said. “That’s what he does. He sneaks behind the defense, blocks shots. It’s funny, as he was going in at the (scorer’s) table, I think (Jalen) Brunson had just beaten Joel off the dribble and got to the basket. I turned to him and said, ‘You’ve got to hit that. That’s your job; that can’t happen.’ And he got one. 

“He’s long, man. He sneaks behind the defense and you just can’t step up on James with him behind you. And him and James have a pretty good relationship there.”

If Embiid indeed sits out a game or two before the playoffs and Jordan is asked to start, he’s not concerned about adapting.  

“I think it’s part of the learning process,” Jordan said Sunday after shootaround. “Obviously I’ve had a relationship with Tobias (Harris), so I know how he plays. Our second unit really consists of James, myself, Danny (Green), Tobias some — so I’m already in there with two of the starters. So I think it’ll be easy. I got some minutes with Tyrese (Maxey) in Cleveland. 

“The only person I haven’t really played a lot of minutes with would probably be (Matisse Thybulle), but I feel like he’s going to be easy to play with. I feel like he’s kind of like me, where we find wherever we need to be, and he’s a great defensive player. So I think honestly, whatever group we’re in, we’ll be able to adjust. It’s not like the guys on the first unit are taking my shots away. My job’s the same.”

In the event Embiid plays Sunday, Chris Boucher and Precious Achiuwa seem likely to challenge Jordan and the Sixers with athleticism and outside shooting. Boucher has only made 28.3 percent of his long-range attempts this year, but he hit five triples during a December loss to the Sixers. Achiuwa took a career-high eight three-pointers against the Lakers, making three.

Eye on the standings 

Entering Sunday night, Miami led the Eastern Conference and held a three-game lead over both the second-seeded Sixers and third-seeded Bucks. Toronto sat seventh, in a play-in tournament spot but only 1.5 games behind Cleveland. 

While Embiid understands there’s no purpose in fretting about potential matchups or hoping for certain results to fall in the Sixers’ favor, he’s tracking it all. The five-time All-Star is known to turn to his phone and watch non-Sixers basketball soon after the final buzzer. 

“Obviously the goal for us is to win every single game,” Embiid said Friday. “And obviously between two and six, it’s really tight. You never know where you’re going to end up. So I pay a lot of attention. I was actually in the (locker room) watching the Cavs game against Denver and all the other games ... the Raptors and all those guys. 

“So I pay a lot of attention, but I’m not fixated on who we’re going to play. I’ve been studying all year, but for me it’s mostly about really paying attention to the details and what they do best offensively and defensively so when we get to that time and we figure out who we’re playing, I’m going to be prepared.”

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