Sixers Look to Take Advantage of Lack of Back-to-Backs
The Sixers fell victim to a classic trap game on Thursday when they lost to a depleted Portland Trail Blazers team by a final of 121-105.
The Blazers were without Damian Lilliard, CJ McCollum, and other key players due to various health concerns. Despite having only 9 available players, the Blazers came out with a win due to six of them scoring double digits.
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Even with Ben Simmons out for this game, the Sixers still were the heavily favored team and supplied the Trail Blazers with one of their more impressive wins of the season. Sixers fans took the loss for what it’s worth, a trap game and a bad one at that. They lacked their offensive facilitator and one of the best defenders in the league in Simmons, and it didn’t help that it was the second game of a back-to-back after they had beat the Charlotte Hornets the night before.
Back-to-back games have been a popular topic amongst Sixers fans in recent years due to the injury-proneness of their best player and franchise face Joel Embiid. He has had a career full of minute restrictions and usually sits one game of a back-to-back. He’s not the only one player often resting for back-to-back games, as the Sixers have had an injury bugged roster for the past couple of years. A curse Philadelphia sports teams can’t seem to stay away from.
This changed with the hire of new Head Coach Doc Rivers though, who has been scrutinized in the past for his load management philosophies but really hasn’t put anyone on an actual minute restriction yet this season.
Embiid, in particular, has played much more than usual, including both parts of back-to-backs, and it has had good results as Embiid is firmly in the running for MVP and leads the first-place team in the East to an inevitable playoff berth in a few months.
Luckily for the Sixers, who have had five back-to-backs so far this season, their two-game stretch against the Hornets and Blazers was their last before the All-Star Break in March. After the All-Star Break, the schedule has still yet to be announced due to COVID-19 precautions, so it is hard to tell how many more back-to-back games the Sixers will have for the rest of the season. However, with 12 important games left before then, the Sixers are grateful for the additional rest.
One of the Sixers’ most important matchups before the All-Star Break is a two-game stretch against the Toronto Raptors. Two straight games in Toronto is never easy, as the one year removed NBA Champions thrive on their high motor and hustle. Because of this, they have been a team that has commonly given the Sixers fits. With a day in between these games, the Sixers players will be able to get sufficient rest for both games, and it will benefit the Sixers in competing with such a high-intensity team.
There are five very good teams in the Eastern Conference right now, with the Bucks, Nets, Celtics, and Pacers all chasing the 76ers for their first seed. Thus, these next 12 games are critical as the Sixers will attempt to maintain their wide lead in the standings.
Overall, the lack of any more back-to-backs before the All-Star break will allow Joel Embiid to rest properly for each game, helping not only his chances of winning MVP but helping the team in this crucial stretch where they look to retain the 1st seed by the All-Star break.
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