The Sixers (3-32) finish off their six-game road trip with the second half of a back-to-back set against the Los Angeles Clippers (21-13) at the Staples Center (10:30 p.m./CSN).
Let’s take a closer look at the matchup:
1. Slow mo
So much for building momentum, huh?
The Sixers followed up one of their best offensive performances of the season against the Sacramento Kings with one of their worst in Friday night’s loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Sixers shot 36.9 percent from the field, including a brutal 16.7 percent from three-point range. Guards Ish Smith (3 for 19) and Isaiah Canaan (2 for 11) were especially off their game in the defeat.
"Ish and Isaiah struggled. They went 5 for 30," Sixers head coach Brett Brown said. "We felt like our defense was holding the fort, but we weren't able to make shots to break it open and their mobility at times got the better of us."
Despite having a solid game off the bench, T.J. McConnell (12 points and seven assists) was at the controls when things got away from the Sixers in the fourth quarter. He later took blame for the loss (see story).
NBA
No matter who is at fault, the Sixers will need a much better showing offensively to keep up with the high-flying Clippers.
2. The real Lob City
Even in defeat, Nerlens Noel’s connection with Smith continued to show against the Lakers.
He scored 15 points — with some of those coming on impressive alley-oops — to go along with 12 rebounds for a double-double. Noel has averaged 16.8 points and 9.5 rebounds on a whopping 71.8 percent shooting since Smith rejoined the Sixers’ lineup.
Chris Paul and DeAndre Jordan have been perfecting their on-court relationship for years with the Clippers. The point guard-center combo has really started to flourish with Blake Griffin sidelined because of an injured quad.
Jordan has four consecutive double-doubles. He posted 11 points and a season-high 20 rebounds in the Clippers’ New Year’s Eve victory over the New Orleans Pelicans.
We’ll see which dynamic duo gets the upper hand in Saturday’s tilt.
3. American horror story
The Staples Center has recently been the home of a few bad losses for the Sixers at the hands of the Clippers … a few really bad losses.
The Sixers have dropped their last three road games against the Clippers by an average of 36.7 points. They’ve lost each of those contests by at least 29 points.
That’s not the end of the ugly numbers. The Sixers have managed to score just 80.3 points with 19.7 turnovers in those defeats.
Yikes.
While the Sixers are clearly playing a superior team, they can’t allow those past blowouts to creep into their minds or Saturday’s game will be over before it starts.
4. Injuries
Griffin (quad) is out for the Clippers.
Hollis Thompson (eye) is doubtful, while Joel Embiid (foot) is out for the Sixers.
5. This and that
• The Sixers have lost seven straight to the Clippers.
• The Clippers have won a season-high five consecutive games.
• Noel had a career-high 30 points and 14 rebounds in the Sixers’ last meeting with the Clippers.