The Philadelphia 76ers relied on a breakout scoring night from Quentin Grimes to overcome injuries and defeat the Portland Trail Blazers 109-103 on Sunday at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
Grimes scored a season-high 31 points and delivered 14 in the fourth quarter as Philadelphia closed the game with key defensive stops and timely shot-making.
The 76ers improved to 37-31, holding the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference standings despite playing without Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Kelly Oubre Jr., all sidelined by injuries.
Philadelphia leaned heavily on its young lineup and received strong production across the rotation to secure its second consecutive win.
Grimes shot 11-for-22 from the field and converted all eight of his free-throw attempts while adding three rebounds and three steals in 40 minutes.
Rookie VJ Edgecombe recorded 18 points and a career-high 12 rebounds for his third double-double of the season.
Justin Edwards added 21 points on efficient shooting, going 9-for-14 from the floor and scoring nine points during a pivotal third quarter run.
Philadelphia shot 45% from the field and finished 14-for-15 from the free-throw line, helping offset a 7-for-25 night from 3-point range.
Andre Drummond controlled the glass with 17 rebounds in 35 minutes, anchoring a 51-49 rebounding advantage for the Sixers.
Portland, which fell to 32-36 and remains 10th in the Western Conference, was led by Deni Avdija’s 25 points, six rebounds and nine assists.
Jerami Grant added 20 points, including six made 3-pointers, while Donovan Clingan contributed 11 points and 15 rebounds.
The Trail Blazers struggled from beyond the arc, shooting 17-for-53 from 3-point range (32.7%), which limited their ability to capitalize on second-half opportunities.
Portland held a narrow 54-53 lead at halftime after Avdija’s playmaking helped generate multiple scoring chances.
Philadelphia shifted momentum in the third quarter, where Edwards scored nine points as the Sixers stretched the lead to double digits.
The home team extended the margin to 101-87 with 5:34 remaining before Portland responded with a 10-0 run that cut the deficit to four.
Edgecombe halted the surge with a jumper with 1:53 left, restoring control for Philadelphia.
Moments later, Edwards intercepted a pass and finished a fast-break dunk with 1:20 remaining, effectively sealing the victory.
Philadelphia forced 18 turnovers and converted several of them into transition opportunities during the final minutes.
The Sixers will begin a three-game road trip Tuesday against the Denver Nuggets. Portland continues its five-game trip Monday night when it visits the Brooklyn Nets.
