The NBA Southeast Division-leading Memphis Grizzlies came to town and they faced a Philadelphia 76ers squad down to 10 fully rostered players due to injuries, and whatever is up with Markelle Fultz.
After snacking on a couple of cupcakes the week before in the New York Knicks and Washington Wizards, the Philadelphia 76ers faced a big upgrade in opposition with the Memphis Grizzlies. The Grizz came in with a 13-8 record and coming off a dramatic win over Brooklyn. They were looking to sweep the season series as they had beaten a very-shorthanded Sixers squad in overtime on Nov. 9, right before Jimmy Butler joined the team.
Memphis wins on its defense and they certainly made the Sixers work for their points. However, the 76ers showed they are pretty good on the defensive side themselves, at least lately.
The Sixers topped the Grizzlies, 103-95, for their fourth win a row and eighth of their last nine. It is the third game in a row they have kept the opposition under 100 points, the first time they have done that since February 2018.
Before the game, it was announced starting power forward Wilson Chandler was out after getting kneed in the thigh in Friday’s Wizards game. He is expected to only miss this game. That put Mike Muscala in the starting lineup, with starting point guard Ben Simmons spelling him, and no real Plan C if it did not work.
The Sixers, who only a little while ago were being lit up by the likes of E’Twuan Moore and Spencer Dinwiddie, put in a great defensive performance, limiting the Grizzlies to shooting 41.8 percent from the field.
Memphis managed to hang in until the final minute. It only trailed by two points with nine minutes to go and were within four points with 39 seconds left, but the Sixers seemed to be done with blowing leads and did not allow them to get closer.
The Sixers only shot 48 percent from the field and Joel Embiid did not have a great shooting night, but they had enough stops to pull out the victory.
With the win, the Sixers at 17-8 are second in the Eastern Conference. The Sixers get to face No. 1 as their next game is Wednesday at Toronto against Kawhi Leonard and a Raptors team who have the best record in the NBA.
In their first matchup, it did not go well, at all, for the Sixers.