Game Preview: Philadelphia 76ers at Portland Trail Blazers
Venue: Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia.
Teams: Philadelphia 76ers vs. Portland Trail Blazers
Date: November 30, 2010
Day: Tuesday
Status of Teams: Blazers (8-8), Philadelphia (4-13)
The Philadelphia 76ers has a good chance to make it, two in a row at staying in the winning column, when they receive Blazers at Wells Fargo Center. At the same time, the Blazers look to avoid losing, four straight, for the first time in over two years.
About the Philadelphia 76ers
Wesley Matthews, Brandon Roy, and LaMarcus Aldridge all finished with 20-plus points for the Blazers in the defeat. The Blazers are looking to avoid their first four-game losing streak since April 2008. They have not swept a season series against the 76ers since 2001-02.
Player to Watch
The Trail Blazers coach, Nate McMillan, provided Wesley Matthews with an opportunity to play the second half of the game against Nets in the previous game. He responded perfectly by scoring 15 of his team-high 25 points, grasped by five of six 3-pointers after halftime. By the end of the game, McMillan said,
“The switch was a no-brainer, in part, because it seems the more Matthews’ plays, the better he plays.”
Blazers’ Injury Report
Blazers continued to be short-handed even in the next match. Blazers center Greg Oden (left knee), guard Elliott Williams (right knee), center Sean Marks (right ankle), and Joel Przybilla (stomach flu) will not be available for the next match.
Quote of the Game
Wesley Matthews said,
"We don't feel like we're an 8-8 team. In the NBA, you play a lot of games in a short amount of time and you have to be able to get through this and move on."
The Philadelphia 76ers was a team in transition last year, finishing with a 27-55 record. The 76ers, who have lost eight of their last ten games this season, ended a three-game losing streak with a 102-86 victory over the New Jersey Nets on Saturday, November 27, 2010, at Fargo Center. The 76ers won the game with a great come-back in the fourth quarter, as they opened with a 10-2 run and made 15 of 19 shots. Jrue Holiday, scored a team-high 20 points to go with 13 assists and 3 steals for 76ers.
Player to Watch
The Philadelphia’s conundrum revolves, around Andre Iguodala, as he is averaging 19.0 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 5.8 assists over his last four games and is shooting 53.8 percent from the field in the last three. Iguodala had 16 points and seven rebounds for 76ers in the previous match. He is averaging 24.5 points in his last eight games against Portland. Philadelphia’s coach, Doug Collins said,
“The 76ers are never better-off, without Andre Iguodala available for action, than they are with him.
Philadelphia’s Edge
76ers is in a strong position, as they are not reporting any injuries.
About the Portland Trail Blazers
The Blazers have a tough time in the previous matches, as they lost three in a row and five of their last seven games. Their most recent setback, a 98-96 loss at the New Jersey Nets on Sunday, November 28, 2010 at the Prudential Center, Newark. The game slipped out of the hands of the Blazers in the fourth quarter. They scored just 18 points and committed five turnovers, which contributed to them blowing a five-point lead.
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