The Sixers (8-50) will attempt to snap their seven-game losing skid when they face the Orlando Magic (25-32) at the Amway Center on Sunday night (6 p.m./CSN).
Let’s take a closer look at the matchup:
1. Nik at night
To say Nik Vucevic went to work against the Sixers in their last meeting would be a severe understatement.
The fifth-year center absolutely dominated all aspects of the paint against his former team just five days ago. Vucevic scored a season-high 35 points on 13 of 21 shooting to go along with nine rebounds, four assists and one block in the Magic’s 124-115 win over the Sixers.
Even with Nerlens Noel (16 points, 11 rebounds, four assists) and Jahlil Okafor turning in solid games, Vucevic still had the upper hand.
“He hurts you in a bunch of ways,” Brett Brown said. “You saw him take Nerlens and Jahlil deep to the rim and post them deep. Our bigs got caught dead behind him. Then you see him pick and pop and efficiently make shots, make 18-, 20-foot jump shots. He’s bigger and more physical than you think. He scores in a variety of ways. He’s having a great year.”
The latest run-in with Vucevic just adds to the list of top-flight big men the Sixers have faced to close out February. In addition to him, they’ve squared off against DeAndre Jordan, DeMarcus Cousins, Anthony Davis, Dirk Nowitzki, Andre Drummond and Marcin Gortat over the last three weeks with little success.
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The Sixers have allowed that crop of star bigs to average 21.5 points on 50.4 percent shooting along with 10.8 rebounds during their seven-game skid.
2. More from RoCo
Robert Covington came into the 2015-16 season intent on proving he was more than just a three-point shooter. And while his game still hinges heavily on whether his jump shot is falling, Covington is starting to round out his effort on the court.
Covington recorded his fourth double-double of the season in the Sixers’ last game with 12 points and 12 rebounds against the Washington Wizards. He also drained three shots from beyond the arc in addition to three blocks and three steals.
It was just another solid performance from Covington to close out the month. He poured in a season-high 29 points with seven three-pointers against the Sacramento Kings in the final game before the All-Star break. Since that game, RC3 has averaged 12.2 points, 5.6 boards and 2.8 made threes per night.
Look for Covington to try to stay on target from long range against an Orlando team that allows the seventh-most three-point attempts per game (25.7) and sixth-most made threes per game (9.2).
3. From downtown
Speaking of threes, the Sixers’ production from long range has fallen off in the last couple of games outside of Covington.
The Sixers shot a combined 15 of 48 (31.2 percent) in losses to the Wizards and Detroit Pistons. They had averaged 12.3 made threes on 44.1 percent shooting over the previous four games.
The Sixers have had success from deep against the Magic this season. In the series’ three earlier matchups, they connected on 41.1 percent of their three-pointers.
If the Sixers have any plans to snap their losing skid, the three will certainly need to be a factor. The team has averaged 9.8 made treys in its eight wins this season.
4. Injuries
The Magic have no players listed on the injury report.
5. This and that
• The Sixers have allowed 117.6 points per game since the All-Star break.
• The Magic are 4½ games out of the Eastern Conference’s final playoff spot.
• Okafor has averaged 18.7 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.0 blocks against the Magic this season.
• Evan Fournier had 21 points (8 for 13), four assists, three rebounds and two steals in the last meeting.
• In five games since Tobias Harris was traded to the Pistons, Orlando's Aaron Gordon has stepped into a bigger role and averaged 12.8 points, 9.8 rebounds and 2.2 steals. He had 11 points and 11 rebounds against the Sixers on Tuesday.