Sixers out to take advantage of upward momentum, starting with the Detroit Pistons
The team believes its performance in Wednesday's overtime loss to Houston was a step in the right direction. Now, they hope to get a rare victory vs a team playing the second night of a back-to-back.
Saturday night’s game against the Pistons in Detroit will provide a solid opportunity for the 76ers to get a rare victory. But the question is: Will they finally take advantage of it?
Similar to recent games against the Miami Heat, Memphis Grizzlies, and Houston Rockets, the rested Sixers (3-14) will face a Pistons team playing its second game in as many nights.
They were routed by the Heat, 106-89, on Nov. 18 leading to their well-publicized team meeting. Two nights later, the Sixers suffered a 117-111 loss to the Grizzlies. And on Wednesday, the Rockets outlasted them, 122-115, in overtime.
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The Sixers believe their performance against Houston was a step in the right direction, one they’re determined to build upon against the Pistons.
Detroit headed into Friday’s NBA Cup game against the Indiana Pacers with an 8-12 record after losing four of five games.
“Like any back-to-back, you got to seize the opportunity when it favors the schedule or the scheduling favor that you think it is, you got to take advantage of it,” coach Nick Nurse said. “Listen, we had our chance, certainly the other night [against Houston]. And even getting it to overtime, you had to feel really good, because I think we had a decent feel for the game and some confidence.”
However, the Sixers couldn’t close the deal after battling back from an early 18-point deficit to force the extra session against Houston.
But there’s a chance that Paul George and Caleb Martin will return to face the Pistons, with both players listed as questionable.
George was a full participant at practice Friday after missing the last three games with a left knee bone bruise, resulting from hyperextending his knee against the Grizzlies on Nov. 20. Martin missed Wednesday’s game with upper back soreness.
”The plan is always to try to play,” Martin said Friday regarding playing against the Pistons. “Obviously, [it’s] day-by-day. Like I said, I had a good day today. … I’m definitely feeling better. I’m trying to get myself back to that point.
“So I take it day by day. I don’t know how many times people have suggested to me not to play, then I do.”
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Joel Embiid (left knee injury recovery/personal reasons) and Kyle Lowry (strained right hip) will remain sidelined.
The Pistons are also dealing with injuries.
Former Sixers small forward Tobias Harris, who missed Wednesday’s game against Memphis with a left hip impingement, was questionable for their road game against Indiana. So was standout point guard Cade Cunningham, who missed the previous three games with a sprained lower back.
Harris and Cunningham had a hand in defeating the Sixers, 105-95, on Oct. 30 at the Wells Fargo Center.
It was a game the Sixers trailed by as many as 21 points and were outrebounded, 49-37. They also made just eight of 28 three-pointers as Embiid and George were both sidelined.
Harris had 18 points on 8-for-18 shooting to go with a season-high 14 rebounds.
Jaden Ivey led Detroit with 23 points. Cunningham added 22 points and seven assists. Tim Hardaway Jr. (16 points while making 5-of-7 three-pointers) and reserve Malik Beasley (11 points) were Detroit’s other double-digit scorers. Tyrese Maxey finished with 32 points on 12-for-25 shooting. However, the Sixers All-Star’s teammates shot 21-for-54. And even that was misleading, as the Sixers ended the game on a 10-0 run in garbage time.
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They’re focused on playing solid basketball in the rematch.
“At the end of the day, you are going to have to do your work,” Martin said. “Just because guys are on a back-to-back that doesn’t mean guys are going to roll over.”
The Sixers found out that out against the Heat, Grizzlies, and Rockets.
“We got to come in and learn how to capitalize on whoever it is on whatever night it is,” Martin said. “We have to figure that out first to where it doesn’t matter if we are on a front end or a back end of a back-to-back.”