Philadelphia @ Washington preview

Last Meeting ( Feb 6, 2018 ) Washington 102, Philadelphia 115

The Philadelphia 76ers have a chance to record their longest winning streak in nearly 15 years when they visit the Washington Wizards on Sunday. A 116-105 victory over Orlando on Saturday at home gave the 76ers seven straight wins, matching the franchise's longest run since a nine-gamer late in the 2002-03 season.

"We can, I can, inflate the importance in my mind of every game, and I'm trying to stay with these guys behind me nice and steady in relation to what matters most, what's most important," coach Brett Brown told reporters after the victory over the Magic, which pulled his seventh-place squad to within 2 1/2 games of the third spot in the Eastern Conference. The Wizards, who lead Philadelphia by a game, came out of the break with an impressive seven-point win at Cleveland before returning home to lose by 17 points to sub-.500 Charlotte. "We just didn't have energy, focus, no fight back, no nothing," All-Star guard Bradley Beal told reporters. "They flat out whooped us." Washington is 8-3 since losing point guard John Wall to a knee injury, but one of those three defeats came in a 115-102 decision at Philadelphia on Feb. 6, as Joel Embiid went for 27 points and 13 rebounds for the victors.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, ESPN, NBCS Philadelphia, NBCS Washington

ABOUT THE 76ERS (32-25): Embiid scored 28 points and grabbed 14 rebounds in Saturday's win as Philadelphia recorded at least 112 points for the fourth time during the winning streak. Rookie Ben Simmons chipped in 17 points on 7-of-11 shooting and he has made 65.4 percent from the floor over a four-game stretch. Veteran shooting guard Marco Bellinelli has produced at least 15 points in two of three games since being acquired by Philadelphia.

ABOUT THE WIZARDS (34-25): The Hornets made 17-of-39 from 3-point range in the win at Washington, which came one day after the Wizards held the Cavaliers to 8-for-35 beyond the arc. "Night and day, man," Kelly Oubre told reporters of the difference between the two games. "When we play the basketball that we are used to playing, that we succeed from, we reap the benefits. Tonight, we didn't do that. We just got to get better each and every game and continue to stay together." Beal scored 33 points in the loss and he has made 9-of-18 from 3-point range over his last three games.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Embiid is expected to play the second half of the back-to-back, something he has done so twice previously while averaging 26.5 points and 13 rebounds.

2. Wizards SF Otto Porter Jr. is averaging 17.8 points on 52 percent shooting in February after posting 11.1 points on 43.1 percent in January.

3. Washington has won seven straight meetings at home.

PREDICTION: Wizards 111, 76ers 108