Sixers face difficult challenge in second game of a back-to-back Sunday vs Memphis

When the 76ers led by 19 points with under 30 seconds left in the third quarter of Saturday’s 122-113 win over the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves, it was a good sign that maybe some starters could get needed rest before their back-to-back game with the Memphis Grizzlies Sunday at the Wells Fargo Center.

It didn’t happen that way as Minnesota twice cut the lead to four points, the second time with just over two minutes left in the game.

So the Sixers (34-15) could have tired legs when they host the Memphis Grizzlies in a 7 p.m. matchup. The Grizzlies are also coming off a win over Minnesota.

Memphis (23-23) earned a home 120-108 victory over the Timberwolves on Friday.

The Sixers will play without Joel Embiid, who is listed as out on the official NBA injury report, with left knee recovery.

Saturday marked the first game back for Embiid, who missed the Sixers’ previous 10 games with a bone bruise in his left knee.

Embiid played 28 minutes, 35 seconds and because the Wolves got back in the game, he had to play 7:50 in the fourth quarter.

After the game, coach Doc Rivers wouldn’t commit to whether Embiid would play against Memphis, but the Sixers have now made the decision.

Even if Embiid was going to play, this still would be a difficult matchup for the Sixers.

Memphis beat the Sixers at home, 106-104 on Jan. 16. Embiid didn’t play in that game due to right knee soreness.

In that win, last season’s Rookie of the Year Ja Morant had 17 points and six assists for the Grizzlies. Tobias Harris led the Sixers with 21 points.

This is the ninth set of back-to-backs for the Sixers this season. The Sixers have swept both games three times. They have won the first and lost the second four times and lost the first and won the second once.

» READ MORE: Behind the Sixers’ groundbreaking ‘Buy Black’ program | Marcus Hayes

The Sixers know that they will have their work cut out in facing a more rested Memphis team in this back-to-back game.

“It’s going to be a challenge, but this is what we’ve been, this is part of the season this year,” said Harris, who scored 32 points in Saturday’s win, while playing 32:37. “It’s a hectic schedule night in and night out, that’s what we signed up for.”

Saturday certainly wasn’t the Sixers’ best effort against a Timberwolves team that is 12-38, which is the lowest win total in the NBA.

“For us, [Saturday] there are things that we can get better at,” Harris said. “[Sunday] we have to show those things.”

One thing is the Sixers have to do a better job of stopping the opposing center. Minnesota’s Karl-Anthony Towns scored a game-high 39 points on Saturday.

Memphis center Jonas Valančiūnas has been hot lately. He has scored double figures in nine straight games. During this span, he has averaged 17 points and 14.9 rebounds, while shooting 53.5% from the field.

Morant (19.3 ppg., 7.4 assists per game) makes the offense go.

A key will be how much pep the Sixers have in their step.

“We have to bring energy,” Harris said. “We’ve got to get our minds and bodies right to be able to play our type of basketball.”

The type of basketball that both teams play is getting out on the break. They are the two top teams in transition points, both averaging 15.8 per game.

Danny Green, who scored nine points in 27:15 on Saturday, says Sunday’s game is business as usual.

» READ MORE: Limited amount of fans now sitting courtside during Sixers games at Wells Fargo Center

“It’s no different than the rest of the schedule we have played,” Green said. “We’ve got to be ready to play back-to-backs. We have played some before.”

The Sixers hope that now that fans are allowed to attend their games, that it could give them an extra boost.

“We have to come back with a new mentality, a different mentality, a fresh mentality and treat the game as a new one and come out with some new energy,” Green said. “Having our fans behind us will be nice.”