The Blazers are back on their home floor after a four-game roadtrip. The visiting and still undefeated Sixers are gunning to continue their run, but must do it with their All-Star big man, Joel Embiid, out due to suspension.

The Blazers’ middle-of-the-pack play

The 3-2 Blazers are currently squeezed in-between everyone in terms of ranking in points (15th), points allowed (15th), offensive rating (18th), and defensive rating (13th). Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum, however, are anything but, and are still the Blazers’ marquee weapons. The two average 29.2 PPG and 23 PPG, respectively, with the former also dishing out a career-high 7.6 assists per game.

Portland won both meetings with Philadelphia last season and won by 34 and 15 points.

Hassan Whiteside may have a big day

Whiteside was brought in this past off-season to help bolster the front-court, as Jusuf Nurkic is out with a major leg injury. The former Miami Heat center has been quite serviceable for the Blazers, contributing 12.8 points and 12.2 rebounds per game in 25.4 minutes of play. He’s primed for a productive day with Embiid absent in the paint.

Embiid’s suspension

The Sixers’ All-Star center is suspended for the next two games following a scuffle with the Minnesota Timberwolves’ own star center, Karl Anthony-Towns.

Philly collected a win when Embiid sat out last Sunday’s game against the Detroit Pistons. 117-111. In the absence, opportunities were distributed well, as Tobias Harris tallied a team-high 29 points, Al Horford had 23 points, nine rebounds, and five assists, and Mike Scott came off the bench to chip in 17 points and nail five threes. Ben Simmons was his usual self and double-doubled by scoring 13 and dishing out 10 dimes. Expect the same guys to fill the void, with Harris benefitting the most. He’s second to Embiid in scoring at 18.8 PPG.

The defense will look different and the paint won’t be as clogged, but it should be fine overall. The Sixers have great size and boast an exciting defensive young talent in Matisse Thybulle, who leads the league in steals (12) despite only seeing 21.8 minutes per game.

PREDICTION:

It’s hard to go against the Sixers’ wingspan when it’s facing a small backcourt like the Blazers’. We expect them to win after an entertaining battle.