I'm treating this game like I have an ace on the mound at a bargain price in a must win game...Blazers now control everything that happens. If they lose, they find themselves basically needing to win out or for a few miracles to happen. If they win though, they move 1.5 games ahead of the Suns. We also have to figure in the incentive for each team to want to win games. Do certain teams who are locked into the playoffs and seeding even care. Well Philly should care because they will draw Boston if the playoffs started today. I believe the 76ers might care as much as the Blazers do, so I expect a good game tonight. I know the Blazers are on a back to back and a tough loss yesterday, but that game has to be forgotten about and they need to move to this game..With how important this game is, I believe the Blazers can do that. News just broke that Simmons is likely out for the year. That's massive to the 76ers mentally, but also physically. Simmons did some things on the court that really helped Philly at times. His ability to assist the basketball and attack the basket is now gone. Embiid might force tonight against Nurkic who is about as tough as it will get for Embiid. Philly will have to match 3's with the Blazers and that's not going to happen. Eventually Lillard, McCollum and Melo are going to string together a run of 3's and that will end up being the difference. Philly simply doesn't have that many shooters on this team. Only chance Philly has is to move Nurkic out of the paint and attack the basketball..Embbid is too selfish of a player to follow that game plan for a entire game. Blazers get a win here and Philly scores some meaningless baskets late.

08/09/2020 5:54 AM