76ers vs. Lakers: Can Philly Avoid Back to Back Losses at the Staples Center Tuesday?

Ever since the Philadelphia 76ers returned from the NBA All-Star break, things have been pretty rough. While the Sixers' two All-Star representatives, Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons, teased a monster final third from their squad, things just haven't gone right for them since.

Ben Simmons returned from the All-Star break and immediately was added to the injury report after injuring his back in practice. After attempting to return early, Simmons ended up suffering a nerve impingement in his lower back, forcing him to miss at least two weeks starting last Monday.

Two days later, Simmons' teammate Joel Embiid joined him on the injury report. After colliding with an opponent in Cleveland last Wednesday, Embiid ended up suffering a sprained shoulder. That left the Sixers traveling to California for a tough four-game road trip without two of its top players.

On Sunday, the Sixers made their first appearance at the Staples Center this season. They were set to face the Los Angeles Clippers for the second time, and an already shorthanded Philly team lost another starter just ten minutes into the matchup.

While the Sixers put up a good fight against the Clippers, their massive losing streak away from home expanded as they failed to come away with a victory. Now, the Sixers will get a shot at redemption on Tuesday as they play in their second and final game at the Staples Center this season. This time, it's against the Lakers, though.

Back in late January, the Lakers visited Philadelphia to face a shorthanded Sixers team that was without Joel Embiid and Josh Richardson. This time around, the situation isn't much different. However, the loss of Simmons on both sides of the ball is vital.

During the first matchup against the Lakers, Simmons checked in for 41 minutes and managed to contribute to 28 points. Now, the Sixers will have to lean heavily on their rising prospect, Shake Milton, who just notched a career-high of 39 points against the Clippers.

Defeating the Lakers at home was a tough task, but it was attainable for the Sixers. Beating them on the road, however, is an entirely different story. For starters, the 76ers are two completely different teams when it comes to playing home and away. On the road, they are a disappointing 9-22. On Tuesday, they will face the Western Conference's top team, who happens to be 21-7 at home.

The Sixers could have a slight advantage as the Lakers may be without one of their top stars as Anthony Davis missed the Lakers' last game, but that still doesn't make the matchup much more manageable for obvious reasons. Even without Davis, LeBron James and the Lakers were a force against the New Orleans Pelicans on the road during their last game. James ended up going off as he notched a triple-double with 34 points, 13 assists, and 12 rebounds.

With or without Davis, the Sixers are still the clear underdogs at the Staples Center on Tuesday. It would be ideal for Philly to walk away from this trip with a win over one of the two playoff teams they are facing, but it's more likely they snag wins on the backend of the trip as opposed to the front.