Sixers vs. Blazers Recap: Grimes Posts Season-High 31, Sixers Steal Their Way to Another Win
The Embiid, Maxey, and PG-less 76ers came into this game fresh off a 104-97 win against the Nets as the likes of Quentin Grimes, VJ Edgecombe, and Justin Edwards were able to carry the team to victory.
Grimes also came into the contest on a hot streak, averaging just over 21 points per game over his last five games.
For the next two weeks or so (at least), the key question for the Sixers is if they can put up similar performances without their stars on an at least semi-consistent basis.
Against the Blazers, the 76ers found themselves in an 0-9 hole early on, but Justin Edwards got the scoring going by swishing a step-back three amidst an astonishing amount of separation, putting the score at 9-3 after a minute and a half of play and draining another three from almost the same spot a few moments later:
his second three ball of the quarter. 👌 pic.twitter.com/dgo1a6VVHE
— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) March 15, 2026
Midway through the first quarter, Quentin Grimes made it a one-score game with lightning-fast cut to the basket and finishing with a perfect, creative right-handed layup high off the left side of the glass, which Justin Edwards promptly followed up with a lob to Dominick Barlow to tie the game at 14-14, forcing a Trail Blazers timeout.
The 76ers held on to the lead as the quarter ticked away after a soaring VJ Edgecombe dunk where it felt like he hung in the air for eternity.
RISE ON 🆙 VJ. pic.twitter.com/naqckFApGS
— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) March 15, 2026
Philly would end the quarter up 30-27 thanks in large part to Quentin Grimes and Justin Edwards’ scoring effort and decision making as the pair led the team in points with eight each while combining for two assists and two 3PM in the quarter.
Cam Payne continued his well-timed shots too with long-range threes and mid-range floaters amidst more separation than a botched boob job.
The 76ers later relinquished the lead, but Grimes drained a three to set the score at 46-45 in Philly’s favor with six minutes left in the second quarter, thanks to Andre Drummond absolutely pancaking a Portland defender on a screen, giving Grimes all the time in the world to calmly line up and hit his shot.
.@qdotgrimes leads all scorers with 15 early! 🪣 pic.twitter.com/j6Oxxg3e4X
— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) March 15, 2026
The entire first half felt tight as neither team could maintain a clear upper hand, and the score sat at a 54-53 in favor of the Blazers in the face of 12 lead changes.
It looked like another Grimes game from the jump as Qdot led all first-half scorers for both teams while he and Justin Edwards were the only Sixers with double-digit points in the first half.
Once the second half got underway, the hometown Sixers found their groove as the shots started falling.
After going just 4-15 from outside the arc in the first half, Philly’s shooters started the second half 3-6 from three-point land as Justin Edwards confidently nailed a quick catch-and-shoot three from the corner, giving the Sixers a 68-61 lead and causing a Blazers timeout with just under eight minutes to play in the third quarter.
cash from the corner. 💵 pic.twitter.com/f0Q1ud4UjA
— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) March 15, 2026
Before the final quarter was underway, V.J. Edgecombe had already locked in his fourth career double-double as he had put together quietly-impressive all-around game with 12 rebounds, three assists, two blocks, and 14 points by the time the third-quarter buzzer sounded.
After Portland tied the game at 82, the Sixers went on a scoring run capped by yet another impressive Quentin Grimes finish where he kissed the ball high off the glass and over several defenders, giving the 76ers a six-point lead with nine minutes left in the game.
The 76ers maintained a similar lead until around the six-minute mark, after which point the opened the lead up to a dominant 101-87 score, arguably due to stealing basketballs more than Trump steals government funds, a constant theme throughout their up-and-down season as the Sixers currently rank sixth in the NBA in steals per game with 9.3.
In the final moments of the game, the 76ers’ electric rookie who grew up without electricity hit some insane shots, including spinning around a Portland defender and realizing mid-spin that the shot clock was winding down while he seemingly located the rim mid-air to nail the clutch mid-range jumper.
Although, the story of the game was undoubtedly Quentin Grimes as he posted a season-high 31 points while shooting 50% from the field and was locked in on the defensive end as he also led Philadelphia in steals with three.
Despite finishing the game with just eight combined points, the Sixers’ centers were sneaky key contributors too as Adem Bona’s physicality was felt on each of his six rebounds and on his block, the latter of which he’s made a habit of doing thanks to his elite length and vertical leap.
Right now Adem Bona ranks 17th in the NBA in blocks per game (10th among centers).
Additionally, Andre Drummond has been picking his play up on both ends of the floor and led the team in both rebounds and assists against the Blazers while also finishing second among Sixers in steals as the big man reeled in a whopping 17 boards, tossed four assists, and ripped the ball away from Portland twice.
Today, Drummond ranks third in offensive rebound percentage with 14.7% (per NBA.com) and ranks 15th in the NBA rebounds per game with 8.6 (per ESPN).
Cam Payne also seems to know just when to pull up and when to dish it, and so far this season ranks fourth among guards in assist to turnover ratio.
Now 11-3 on the second half of back-to-backs this season, the Sixers are on a relative hot streak and managed to steal another win despite being down four starters.
Finally, obviously the 76ers’ high-flying rookie was the glue that held everything together, and against Portland, Edgecombe had a career-high 12 rebounds and right now he ranks:
- 1st in total loose balls recovered with 69 (nice)
- 2nd in loose balls recovered per game
- 3rd among rookies in PPG
- 16th in the NBA in steals per game
If the 76ers are able to keep their winning ways alive despite most of their starters being inactive, Quentin Grimes will have to keep scoring in bunches while the rest of the team fights for steals like they’re fighting for oxygen in their lungs (13 total steals against the Blazers, 9th most in a game this season), and V.J. Edgecombe will need to continue playing like possibly the best all-around player on the floor every night.
So far, Philly has shown that they are more than capable of doing exactly that.
