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Sixers-Cavaliers preview: Brett Brown's squad eyes move up in NBA playoff race

The winner of this game gets the inside track to securing the Eastern Conference's No. 3 seed in the upcoming playoffs.

LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers visited the Philadelphia 76ers last November.
LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers visited the Philadelphia 76ers last November.Read moreYong Kim/Staff Photographer
    by Keith Pompey | Columnist
    Published 

Cleveland Cavaliers (49-3o) at 76ers (48-30)

Friday at 7 p.m., at the Wells Fargo Center

Talking points

The winner of this game gets the inside track to securing the Eastern Conference's No. 3 seed in the upcoming playoffs. The Cavs are in third place, a half-game ahead of the Sixers in the standings.

How to watch and follow the game

  1. TV and streaming: NBC Sports Philadelphia; NBA TV

  2. Radio: 97.5 FM

  3. Twitter: @PompeyOnSixers; @NBASarah

Starting lineups

Cleveland (48-30)

23 LeBron James SF 6-8 27.5 ppg. 9.2 rpg.

32 Jeff Green PF 6-9 10.7 ppg. 3.1 rpg.

0 Kevin Love C 6-10 17.4 ppg. 9.3 rpg.

1 Rodney Hood SG 6-8 11.2 ppg. 2.6 rpg.

16 Cedi Osman PG 6-8 3.7 ppg. 1.8 apg.

Coach: Tyronn Lue (Third season, 127-75)

Injury report: TBD

Sixers (48-30)

33 Robert Covington SF 6-9  12.8 ppg 5.4 rpg.

23 Ersan Ilyasova PF 6-10 10.7 ppg 5.7 rpg.

5 Amir Johnson C 6-10  4.4 ppg 4.4 rpg.

17 JJ Redick SG 6-4  16.8 ppg 3.0 apg.

25 Ben Simmons PG 6-10 15.8 ppg 8.1 apg.

Coach: Brett Brown (fifth season, 123-283)

Injury report: Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot (right knee, patellar tendinitis, out), Joel Embiid (left eye, orbital bone fracture, out), Dario Saric (cellutitis in right elbow, questionable).

Head to head

The Sixers hold a 103-102 series advantage.

Coming games

Sunday: 1 p.m., at Wells Fargo Center, Dallas Mavericks at Sixers

Monday: 7:30 p.m., at Phillips Arena, Sixers at Atlanta Hawks

Wednesday: 8 p.m., at Wells Fargo Center, Milwaukee Bucks at Sixers