The 76ers are experiencing their best season in 18 years with a record of 38-21 heading into a Saturday afternoon showdown with Damian Lillard, C.J. McCollum and the Portland Trailblazers at Wells Fargo Center. The Blazers are no slouch at 35-23, with one of those victories being a 129-95 drubbing of the 76ers out west at the end of December, a game Joel Embiid ironically missed due to left knee soreness.
"I forgot that first Portland game," Brett Brown said at the Sixers Training Facility in Camden Friday afternoon.
Funny how things workout sometime. The franchise "crown jewel" missed the most lopsided loss of the season, and at the team's chance at revenge nearly two months later, the big man is out with the same injury in two totally unrelated situations.
McCollum was phenomenal that night, scoring 35 points on 13-of-18 from the floor and four-of-seven from distance. Lillard had only 15 points on six-of-10, and the Sixers still got blown out. Brown called Lillard and McCollum "completely dynamic."
"I hate watching that game," Brown said, "and I feel like it represents zero to who we are now. Sure, you better pay attention. In my mind I dismiss it, but not in my preparation."
If you don't remember, it might be because you were occupied with the Eagles making the playoffs, as this was after their victory over Washington as well as Minnesota's loss to the Bears.
"That was one of those games that you want to just kick down the road," Brown said.
When asked what he learned from that first game, Brown said the Blazers are a "highly gifted offensive team" that excel in the pick-and-roll, something that's haunted the Sixers at different times this season.
Here are three things to look for Saturday at Wells Fargo Center.
Tobi Factor
Tobias Harris had one of his best quarters as a 76er Thursday night in South Philadelphia, when he scored 11 of his game high 23 points to rally the Sixers past Miami.
Harris also had two of his best offensive performances this season against Portland when playing for the Clippers. After scoring only 15 points against Portland in a 116-105 loss on November 8, he dropped 34, which then set a season high, on November 25 in a 104-100 victory, and followed that up with a new season high of 39 on December 17 in a 131-127 defeat.
That could be a foreshadow to a big game Saturday.
Bobi Impact
The big man match-ups will be key, as the Sixers are getting a major upgrade with their backup starting center in Boban Marjanovic, compared to Amir Johnson, who filled in for Embiid last time. However, that doesn't mean the Sixers have the big man edge on paper.
Marjanovic will be tasked with talented Jusuf Nurkic, as well as pesky newcomer Enes Kanter off the bench, but he'll be backed up by Jonah Bolden, who saw playing time Thursday for the first time in five games, and it was noticeable with how much he struggled.
The 76ers are going to need another big game out of "Bobi."
Butler Bounce Back
You could argue the most disappointing performance that late December night at Moda Center was Jimmy Butler, who scored only five points on two-of-12 from the field. Something tells me the competitive juices he possesses will spark a better showing this time around.
