Philadelphia 76ers at Cleveland Cavaliers Preview

The 76ers will be in Cleveland to face the Cavs on Thursday. This will mark the final game they’ll play without Joel Embiid in the lineup, as he’s set to return on Saturday after missing the last three weeks. Philly is 0-2 against the Cavs so far this season. Once they’re back at full strength, watch out.

They have had a great year all around, now sitting at 32-14. They did fall behind the Nets after Brooklyn’s comeback win over Houston on Wednesday. But still, did anybody outside Philly actually expect the team to be able to win at this rate? Doc Rivers has come in and immediately helped shift the culture while building a winner. This is a team that hopes to challenge the Nets for a trip to the NBA Finals.

Cleveland has now lost a few games in a row and sits at 17-30 on the year. There is a chance that Kevin Love can come back to play in this contest, and point guard Matthew Dellavedova should be able to make his season debut, barring any setbacks. These two veterans have both missed practically the whole year, so their return would add a nice veteran presence for the team.

ODDS: The 76ers are -9 favorites to beat the Cavs.

Philly Seeking Road Win

The biggest difference between last year’s Sixers and the team that is playing this year has to be the ability to win on the road. They lost just two home games all of last year, but the road record was horrible in comparison. Not that any team should be as good on the road as at home, but there couldn’t be a disparity like the one that existed a season ago.

Doc should be a prime candidate for Coach of the Year for all of his efforts here. Ben Simmons has continued to play well, while Danny Green and Seth Curry have provided tremendous minutes and effort in the starting lineup. The addition of George Hill can finally give them a quality point guard and an opportunity to give Ben Simmons a break without everything falling apart.

The 76ers seek their 33rd win here as they face Cleveland.

Cavs Looking for Win No. 18

It has not been an easy year for the Cavs, but they are still here fighting. Life without Jarrett Allen over the past few contests has not been easy, as they have missed his size and impact. The concussion is going to keep him out for another one tonight, so the team is very lucky that Isaiah Hartenstein doesn’t have to contend with Embiid down low.

The lack of size will once again be felt, but Dwight Howard is not exactly Embiid, so they don’t have too much to worry about. It’s not like Rudy Gobert is walking through that door again. It’s all about Garland and Sexton for the Cavs as they try and score more than their opponents to pick up the victory.

When you’re not at full strength, everyone has to pick it up. That has to be the case this time.