Winless Sixers welcome Blazers to Philly
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}(SportsNetwork.com) - The Portland Trail Blazers will play the second game of a back-to-back Monday night against the winless Philadelphia 76ers and have a good chance at pushing their winning streak to eight games.
The Blazers made it seven wins in a row with Sunday's 94-88 victory against the Boston Celtics in the opener of a three-game road trip, as LaMarcus Aldridge muscled his way to 20 points and 14 rebounds (11 offensive).
Chris Kaman posted 16 points and eight rebounds off the bench, while star point guard Damian Lillard posted 12 points, nine rebounds and five assists for the Trail Blazers. Steve Blake chipped in 11 points.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"They both have had some very good games for us," Portland head coach Terry Stotts said of Kaman and Blake. "I think it's typical of what they've given us. Steve is very consistent defensively ... Chris is very consistent, he's been consistent all season as far as scoring and rebounding off the bench."
Portland is 8-1 when scoring 100-plus points and 5-0 against Eastern Conference opponents. It is scoring 103.6 points and allowing 94.6 ppg.
The Blazers are 2-2 away from the Rose City and will close the east-coast journey Wednesday in Charlotte.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Philadelphia is last in scoring with 88.8 ppg and is allowing 105.2. It is averaging 84.1 ppg in the last seven after scoring a season-high 115 points versus Chicago on Nov. 7.
The 76ers are coming off Saturday's 91-83 loss to the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden and fell to 0-13 on the season. It is the worst start for the Sixers since they opened the 1972-73 campaign 0-15.
Nerlens Noel had 17 points and 12 rebounds, Robert Covington scored a season- best 14 points off the bench and reserve Hollis Thompson rounded out the double-digit scorers with 10 points.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Philly had 18 turnovers, shot 40 percent from the floor and struggled beyond the arc, making 8-of-26 3-pointers. Reigning NBA Rookie of the Year Michael Carter-Williams posted nine points, four boards and just one assist, and leading scorer Tony Wroten (17.7 ppg) ended with five points.
The Sixers are five losses away from matching the NBA record for the worst start to a season, which was set by the Nets in 2009-10.
"It's a learning process, but we're getting better," Noel said.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Philadelphia is 0-6 at home and went 10-31 at Wells Fargo Center a season ago. It will also welcome Brooklyn, Dallas and San Antonio to town.
The Blazers and Sixers split two matchups in 2013-14 with each team prevailing on the road. Portland blew out the 76ers, 139-105, in south Philly last Dec. 14 and was led by Aldridge's 20 points and 16 rebounds. The Blazers had eight players score in double figures.
These two teams have split the last 16 meetings.