Sixers continue road trip in Memphis

Philadelphia is in 11th place in the Eastern Conference, just two games behind the Miami Heat for the eighth and final spot in the Eastern Conference. The Grizzlies are in sixth place in the Western Conference playoff race, one game behind the Dallas Mavericks.

This is the second and final meeting of the season between the two squads. On January 17th, the Grizzlies beat the Sixers, 91-87, at the Wachovia Center.

In the first game of their road trip, the 76ers were defeated by the Detroit Pistons, 85-69, on Sunday at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Philadelphia will also play Miami and New Orleans on the swing.

Willie Green delivered a team-high 17 points and Derrick Coleman added 10 for the Sixers, who had their season-high, four-game winning streak snapped. Allen Iverson, Philadelphia’s leading scorer, missed his fifth straight game with right knee synovitis.

Iverson dressed for pre-game warmups, but changed back into his street clothes after he decided not to play because he was not going to start. Iverson is expected to start tonight.

Kenny Thomas fell two points short of his 11th straight double-double. Thomas finished with eight points and 10 rebounds in the loss for the Sixers.

Philadelphia is 11-23 on the road this season.

On Saturday, Memphis lost to the Houston Rockets, 88-80, at the Toyota Center. Stromile Swift scored 19 to lead the Grizzlies, who had a seven-game win streak halted.

Bonzi Wells had 16 points, Gasol pumped in 12 and James Posey added 10 points and seven rebounds in the loss for the Grizzlies.

Swift has averaged 13 points and five rebounds in his last three games.

Memphis, which has won three straight as the host, is an impressive 25-8 at home this season.

The Grizzlies have won three of the last five meetings with the Sixers, who have won six of their last seven at the Grizzlies.