CLEVELAND — When the Philadelphia 76ers face the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday night, they will be looking to get back on the right path following a loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday. The Sixers need a win in the worst way as they are now the No. 8 seed in the East as they have fallen into the play-in tournament.
The challenge will be tall. The Sixers will be without Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and Paul George as well as possibly VJ Edgecombe who is dealing with a lumbar contusion. Without those three–possibly four–the challenge will already be tough. Throw in the fact that the Cavs now have a dynamic backcourt of James Harden and Donovan Mitchell, and the task gets tougher.
In 10 games with the Cavaliers, Harden is averaging 19.1 points, 8.1 assists, and 5.0 rebounds while shooting 44.6% from deep. He and Mitchell have been tough to stop and the Sixers will have to deal with that on Monday.
“It’s a big-time responsibility,” said Cam Payne on Monday morning at shootaround. “They’re great players. It’s a team effort. We all just gotta do the game plan or whatever coach has got for us, and make sure we work together on the defensive end.”
In his first game back after missing four games with a hamstring issue, Mitchell had 30 points, seven rebounds, and five assists in a tough loss to the Boston Celtics on Sunday. He is somebody who has always been a dynamic scorer, but when adds one of the best playmakers to ever play the game in Harden, then it enhances his game. The Sixers know all about that when he was in Philadelphia.
Tip off from Rocket Arena is set for 7 p.m. EDT on Monday.
