Around a week ago, I noted that everyone was anticipating the Play-In Tournament, predicting that the Sixers, with their depleted roster, wouldn’t finish higher than seventh in the Eastern Conference. My oversight was not fully considering the ease of their remaining schedule and the prevalence of teams intentionally losing games at this stage of the season.
Thanks to recent victories against Brooklyn, Western Conference bottom-dweller Sacramento, and a strong performance in beating the Blazers, the Sixers are now only 1.5 games behind fifth-place Toronto and just half a game behind sixth-place Orlando. Tonight presents another prime chance to capitalize on a team clearly aiming for a higher draft pick, as Philadelphia visits the Utah Jazz, a franchise frequently mentioned in lottery reform discussions for the past few seasons.
The Sixers’ injury report for tonight remains largely unchanged, with Joel Embiid now confirmed out again after a brief period of being listed as doubtful.
It’s worth noting that Paul George will be eligible to return from his suspension for Wednesday’s game against Chicago.
Conversely, the Jazz will be significantly shorthanded, missing Walker Kessler (shoulder surgery), Jaren Jackson Jr. (knee), Jusuf Nurkic (nose surgery), Keyonte George (hamstring), Lauri Markkanen (hip), Isaiah Collier (hamstring), and Brice Sensabaugh (illness). John Konchar’s availability is also in doubt due to a quad issue. This extensive list of absentees essentially represents Utah’s projected starting five for next season. It’s an ideal scenario for the Sixers to secure another win tonight.
Nevertheless, victory isn’t guaranteed; the team must still perform against opposing bench players and eager young talents looking to make an impression. VJ Edgecombe delivered an impressive 38 points, seven rebounds, and 11 assists in the Kings victory. Such increased on-ball opportunities are crucial for his development now, promising future benefits when the regular starters return. Quentin Grimes has also excelled with added responsibilities, netting at least 23 points in five of his past eight games. His upcoming unrestricted free agency this summer will be noteworthy, particularly as the Sixers retain his Bird rights. Even deeper rotation players like Justin Edwards, Adem Bona, and MarJon Beauchamp have shown promise in significant moments.
While this might not be the most thrilling basketball, nor is a decisive loss to the Thunder on Monday out of the question, the Sixers deserve credit for their recent effort and for defeating teams they are expected to beat. They’ve managed to stay competitive enough that with George (and hopefully Embiid) rejoining the lineup in the coming week, a direct playoff berth remains a genuine possibility, not just a distant hope. Catch tonight’s game to see if they can conclude their road trip triumphantly in Utah.
When: Saturday, March 21, 9:30 p.m. ET
Where: Delta Center, Salt Lake City, UT
Watch: NBC Sports Philadelphia
Radio: 97.5 The Fanatic
Follow: @LibertyBallers