Sixers-Grizzlies 5 things: Streaking teams collide (seriously)

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The Sixers (4-10) will see if they can extend their rare winning streak when they host the Memphis Grizzlies (9-5) at the Wells Fargo Center on Wednesday night (7 p.m./CSN and CSNPhilly.com).

Let's take a closer look at the matchup.

1. Put your streak on the line
The Sixers have a winning streak. Yes, you read that correctly.

It may be just two games, but given they hadn't won consecutive contests since March 18 and 20 of 2015, the Sixers will certainly take what they can get.

The Sixers got 22 points from Joel Embiid in 23 minutes Monday to lead the charge in a 101-94 victory over the Miami Heat. It marked the club's first set of back-to-back wins in the last 108 games. Embiid is playing again tonight.

Meanwhile, Memphis is bringing a streak of its own into the Thanksgiving Eve clash. After starting out the new season 4-5, the Grizzlies have ripped off five straight wins.

2. Making his point
A huge key to the Grizzlies' success has been the surge in the play of Mike Conley.

After signing a five-year, $153 million deal in the offseason — the richest contract in NBA history — there was talk about how the point guard couldn't live up to the money. However, Conley has thrived since getting his massive payday.

Conley is averaging 19.2 points on 45.1 percent shooting from the field and 49.3 percent from three-point range, all career highs. The veteran is also grabbing a career-best 3.5 rebounds per game while still putting up 5.6 assists and 1.5 steals a night.

Not bad for a guy who has never made an All-Star Game appearance.

3. Covington's chance
Robert Covington has been flat out awful offensively so far this season. There's no other way around it.

Covington is averaging 7.4 points on 26.2 percent shooting from the floor and 24.4 percent from long range.

Yikes.

And while the previously reliable shooter has worked through the boos to impact the game in other areas such as strong defense, Wednesday could present his chance to break out.

The Grizzlies will be without small forwards Chandler Parsons and James Ennis because of injuries. That should force the one and only Vince Carter into the starting lineup.

While it's a treat to see the 39-year-old Carter still playing and even turning back the clock for a dunk at times, he's never been known as a defender. Covington should be able to operate on the offensive end and finally put an end to his season-long slump.

4. Injuries
Ben Simmons (foot) and Nerlens Noel (knee) are out for the Sixers.

Tony Allen (groin) is a game-time decision. Parsons (knee), Ennis (calf) and Brendan Wright (ankle) are all out for the Grizzlies.

5. This and that
• The Sixers have lost seven straight meetings with the Grizzlies.

• Jerryd Bayless, who played 111 games in parts of two seasons with the Grizzlies, will face his former team in his second game as a Sixer.

• Don't expect a lot of points. The Sixers (98.0) and Grizzlies (97.4) rank 24th and 25th in points per game.

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