Five things you need to know about the 76ers today
Five things you need to know about the 76ers today:
1. Las Vegas believes the Sixers don't have a chance to beat the Utah Jazz without Joel Embiid. The Jazz are a 12-point favorite for Thursday night's matchup, which Embiid will watch to rest his surgically repaired foot.
2. The Sixers might also have a tough time scoring on Thursday. Utah boasts the NBA's best scoring defense (95.3 points per game) and ranks second in opponent's field-goal percentage (43.0).
3. Having now played in 70 percent of his team's games, Embiid is, once again, listed as one of the league's top shot blockers. He's third behind New Orleans' Anthony Davis and Utah Rudy Gobert at 2.38 blocks per game.
4. Thursday is the anniversary of one of Andrew Toney's top performances as a Sixer. The former standout guard scored 36 points on 17-for-24 shooting to go along with five assists in a win over Dallas on Dec. 29, 1982.
5. Sergio Rodriguez is still among on the league-leaders in assists. The Sixers point guard ranks 14th in the league at 6.3 assists per game.
Follow and contact 76ers beat writer Keith Pompey on Twitter and on Instagram at PompeyOnSixers.