Grizzlies vs. 76ers Thursday NBA injury report, odds: Philadelphia has league's toughest remaining schedule, Slam Dunk Competition champion Mac McClung will not debut

The Philadelphia 76ers come out of the All-Star break on Thursday in third place in the Eastern Conference, three games behind first-place Boston. Catching the Celtics will be a tough task, as the Sixers have the NBA's toughest remaining schedule by opponents' combined winning percentage, starting with a tough home matchup tonight against West No. 2 Memphis. The Sixers are -3.5 at DraftKings, and, no, Slam Dunk Competition champion Mac McClung will not play for Philly.

The 76ers (38-19) have 25 games left and their opponents have a combined winning percentage of .540. They still have two games against both Boston and East No. 2 Milwaukee, so earning the top seed in the East is possible. The Celtics are -275 favorites to win the conference, with the Bucks at +220 and the Sixers +2000. Philly is the -115 favorite to finish as the No. 3. Right now, that would mean a first-round playoff matchup vs. the New York Knicks. On the updated season win totals, Philly is set at over/under 52.5, with the Under a -130 favorite.

The Sixers finish off a current homestand with Memphis, Boston and Miami, then play 12 of their next 15 on the road, including four sets of back-to-backs. The 12 road games in March will tie the franchise record for a calendar month.

Most casual fans didn't know who McClung was entering Saturday's All-Star Slam Dunk Contest in Salt Lake City, but the 2021 undrafted free agent stole the show and became a bit of a household name. His social media profile skyrocketed. To pay tribute to his hometown of Gate City, Va. McClung pulled on his high school jersey for the final dunk -- that was cool.

McClung has played in a total of two regular-season NBA games in his career, one each with the Lakers and Bulls last season. When invited to the 2023 Dunk Contest, he was part of the Delaware Blue Coats, making him the first G League player to participate. He's still with that team (which has seen ticket demand skyrocket since Saturday), but a lot of Philly fans and media are asking the Sixers to give McClung a shot at some point.

Memphis (35-22) limped into the break, losing nine of 13. The Grizzlies are in second place in the West, five games behind Denver. Thus, catching the Nuggets is a longshot. Staying at No. 2 is most likely, as the Grizzlies are three games up on third-place Sacramento (32-25). Memphis is a -155 favorite to finish as the second seed. It has one of the easier remaining schedules with its opponents having a combined .485 winning percentage and getting to face tanking Houston three times.

The Grizz remain without center Steven Adams, one of the NBA's best rebounders at 11.5 per game. He suffered a sprained right PCL on Jan. 22 and likely won't return until next week at the earliest. Three-point shooter Luke Kennard, a recent trade acquisition, has a non-COVID illness and is out.

The Grizzlies beat the Sixers 117-109 on Dec. 2 behind 28 points and eight rebounds from Ja Morant and 16 rebounds from Adams. Joel Embiid had 35 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists for Philadelphia. The Sixers played without James Harden and Tyrese Maxey, who is +400 to win NBA Sixth Man of the Year. 

So which 2023 Fantasy baseball busts, breakouts, and sleepers should you target or fade in your drafts? Visit SportsLine's Fantasy baseball cheat sheets now to get rankings for every single position, all from the model that called Joey Votto's disappointing season, and find out.