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Philadelphia is still on the look out for their first win of the season, and their upcoming four game road trip starting Sunday certainly won't make things any easier. We take a quick look at how the next couple of games may play out.
Sixers vs. Raptors: There's no word yet on whether Nerlens Noel will be active for Sunday's contest, as he's rehabbing a sprained left ankle suffered against the Orlando Magic. The Chicago Bulls attacked the low block well with Pau Gasolin Nerlens absence, which is a good sign for Raptors starting center Jonas Valanciunas. Valanciunas is averaging 11.2 PPG and 7.6 RPG. It's a perfect matchup for Toronto, the fifth highest scoring offense in the NBA versus the 23rd overall defense. Expect Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan to put on a show at home.
Sixers vs. Mavericks: Dirk Nowitzki is a matchup problem for any team he plays, and his superior mid-range might be too much for a Sixers team that doesn't defend out to the perimeter very well. And while Chandler Parsons hasn't shot the ball particularly well from beyond the arc thus far, he'll certainly have the chance to improve that against the Sixers. Philadelphia has allowed a lot of open three's due to poor rotations, and opposing teams are shooting 43.5% on shots between 20-24 feet. Tony Wroten will be given a chance to shine against Devin Harris, who has the worst defensive rating on the team.
Sixers vs. Rockets: Philadelphia was thrashed by Houston on November 3rd, and their next meeting on the 14th may not be all that different. While Noel did a good job holding Dwight Howard to just 11 points, Harden scored enough for the both of them. The Sixers simply have no answer for his attacks of the rim and subsequent free throw line trips, and it showed in his 35 point performance. Trevor Ariza was also deadly, scoring 24 points and was 6-9 from beyond the arc. Both Harden and Ariza would make good plays in fantasy when that game rolls around.
Sixers vs. Spurs: Expect all of San Antonio starters to be active when the two teams clash on the 17th, as head coach Gregg Popovich will likely rest them the game before, the second part of a back-to-back. Kawhi Leonard is averaging just 8.0 PPG, and a matchup with shutdown defender K.J. McDaniels likely will not be the night he is able to break out.
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