Wolves gameday
5 p.m. at Philadelphia • Wells Fargo Center • FSN, 830-AM
Trusting process has finally paid off
Preview: The 76ers extended their latest winning streak to five games with Thursday's 118-98 victory at Orlando. Now 41-30, they have won five consecutive games three times and they're also 11 games over .500 for the first time since the 2011-12 season, when they were 20-9 on Valentine's Day in that lockout-shortened season. The last time the Sixers had more than three five-game winning streaks in a season was in 2000-01. … The Sixers have won the past two games between the teams, including this season's first meeting 118-112 in overtime on Dec. 12 at Target Center.
Players to watch: Joel Embiid isn't just a scorer and shot blocker. Now the 24-year-old is becoming a playmaker, too: His three-assist game at Orlando was the 13th time in 16 games that he has had at least three assists, dating to Feb. 22. He has 57 assists in those 16 games, second among centers only to Denver's Nikola Jokic. … A frontrunner for Rookie of the Year, Sixers 6-10 PG Ben Simmons leads NBA rookies with 30 double-doubles, which by one game broke Charles Barkley's team rookie record of 29. The Australian reached 10 points, five rebounds and five assists in 13 consecutive games until Thursday's game at Orlando. It's his second streak of at least 10 games or more. No NBA rookie since 1983 has had a streak longer than eight games.
Injuries: Wolves G Derrick Rose (sprained ankle) didn't accompany the team on this trip. G Jimmy Butler (knee surgery) is out indefinitely.
Jerry Zgoda
