The Sixers (4-35) will finish off their weekend back-to-back set when they host the streaking Cleveland Cavaliers (25-9) on Sunday night at the Wells Fargo Center (6 p.m./CSN).
Let’s take a closer look at the matchup:
1. Sharp points
The Sixers suffered a 108-95 loss to the Toronto Raptors on Saturday night, but it wasn’t because of any lack of effort on Ish Smith’s part.
The point guard scored a career-high 28 points in the defeat. Smith poured in 18 points during the third quarter alone to match the entire Raptors team. He also added five rebounds, four assists and three steals with just a single turnover in the game.
Smith has been sensational since returning to the Sixers. He has averaged 16.0 points, 7.5 assists, 2.9 rebounds and 1.6 steals in eight games back with the team.
While Smith has been a gem for the Sixers, he’s not the only point guard to provide a boost since rejoining his club.
Kyrie Irving may not be all the way back to his All-Star form since coming back from a fractured kneecap, but he has made the Cavs whole again on the court. Cleveland is 8-2 since Irving made his return, including six consecutive wins.
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Irving is averaging 16.9 points, 3.8 assists and 2.6 rebounds a game so far. He’s come along way since putting up 12 points on 5 of 12 shooting in his season debut against the Sixers back on Dec. 20.
It should be interesting to see two of the game’s quickest point guards in Smith and Irving face off on Sunday night.
2. The other guy
While Cleveland’s attack is typically spearheaded by the big three of Irving, LeBron James and Kevin Love, the Cavs are actually being sparked by a different player right now.
That would be J.R. Smith. The streaky shooter is in the midst of an incredible hot stretch at the moment.
Smith is averaging 25.3 points on 62.2 percent shooting from the field and 60.0 percent from three-point range over the last three games. He has drilled a whopping 18 threes during that span.
"He’s definitely a rhythm player, but at the same time, our offense helps him a lot," James said of Smith to the Cavs' team website after a 125-99 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday. "We just want him to shoot the ball. He has the ability to go for 15, 17 in a quarter. ... He’s been taking great shots. He hasn’t taken many heat-check shots this year, and I think that’s just helped him stay in a rhythm.”
Even with all of the star power on the Cavs’ roster, the Sixers’ perimeter defense can ill afford to lose track of Smith. All it takes is one shot to go down and then it could turn into a long night for the Sixers.
3. Third shift
The Sixers have already faced the Cavs three times this season, all losses. Each time the game has gotten out of hand during the third quarter.
In the first meeting on Nov. 3, the Sixers actually held a five-point lead at halftime before losing the third quarter 33-18 to change momentum. On Nov. 7, the Sixers had a one-point advantage at intermission prior to getting outscored 32-23 in the third to swing the game. In their most recent matchup on Dec. 20, the Sixers were outscored 33-22 during the third quarter and watched their deficit balloon to as much as 29 points in the frame.
The young Sixers are prone to long lapses in scoring on offense and mental mistakes on defense. Look no further than Saturday’s loss to the Raptors. The Sixers jumped out to a 12-0 lead to start the game before nearly giving it all back to exit the first quarter with only a one-point edge.
The Sixers have to find a way to play a full 48-minute game and come out of the halftime locker room with some energy if they want to have any chance of pulling off the upset.
4. Injuries
Joe Harris (foot) is out for the Cavs.
Joel Embiid (foot) is out for the Sixers.
5. This and that
• The Sixers haven’t suffered a four-game season sweep to the Cavs since the 1995-96 season.
• Nerlens Noel has averaged 15.7 points, 10.7 rebounds, 2.3 steals and 2.0 blocks against the Cavs this season.
• The Cavs tied a franchise record by scoring at least 120 points in each of their last three games.
• James has averaged 25.3 points, 9.3 assists, 6.0 rebounds and 3.0 steals against the Sixers this season.