PREVIEW: The Philadelphia 76ers will host the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday at 6 p.m. EDT, with the Trail Blazers favored by 7.5 points. Coming off a gritty 104-97 victory over Brooklyn on Saturday night, the 76ers face a back-to-back situation after managing to respond defensively in the final quarter despite a second-half collapse. The absence of Tyrese Maxey, who averages 29 points per game, combined with Joel Embiid still sidelined, leaves Philadelphia scrambling to find offensive consistency. On the offensive end, the Trail Blazers rank fourth in three-point attempt frequency at 47 percent while simultaneously ranking 30th in three-point shooting efficiency, showcasing a team willing to launch but struggling with accuracy from distance . Portland enters this matchup riding momentum after defeating Utah 124-114 at home by controlling pace and executing efficiently once they seized momentum in the second quarter. Deni Avdija continues to anchor the Blazers' offense, averaging 24.3 points while contributing seven rebounds and 6.7 assists per game, demonstrating his substantial impact on this roster. However, Portland's defense remains vulnerable against perimeter shooting, ranking 27th in defending three-pointers while also struggling with defensive rebounding at 27th overall. Philadelphia's efficient free-throw shooting at 81 percent, combined with their league-leading ability to force turnovers, presents legitimate offensive weapons that could exploit Portland's turnover-prone approach of 17.2 giveaways per contest.