Things did not look great for the Philadelphia 76ers heading into their matchup against the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday night. Joel Embiid did not dress in the matchup due to rest, and then tragedy struck shortly before tip-off when Tobias Harris had to be scratched late due to health and safety protocols. 

Despite being shorthanded, the Sixers did not roll over. Behind a true group effort, they managed to walk away with a 113-103 victory. Here are three observations from the impressive win. 

3. Balanced attack 

Without their top two offensive options, the Sixers needed increased efforts all around if they wanted to compete against the Trail Blazers. No single player can replace what Embiid or Harris brings to the floor, and the group knew that. Instead, the Sixers collectively spread the wealth to ease the burden of being without their star talents. 

Some players still managed to have big nights, but a balanced offensive attack was a catalyst for the Sixers' victory. When all was said and done, seven players reached double figures in scoring. Seth Curry and Georges Niang led the charge with 23 and 21 points, respectively. 

Keeping the ball moving is something Doc Rivers has stressed this season, and it allowed for multiple players to get a piece of the pie in this game. Not only was scoring coming from everywhere, but the passing numbers were just as good. Of their 43 baskets against the Trail Blazers, 34 came off assists. 

When a team can selflessly share the ball and allow the offense to attack from multiple angles, it would be very tough to stop it. 

2. Making life miserable for opposing stars 

Heading into the season, many wondered how the Sixers defense will look like in Ben Simmons' absence. While it might not be on par with when they had the Defensive Player of the Year finalist, players have stepped up and done well with more defensive responsibility. 

How well the Sixers could defend the firepower of Portland's starting backcourt was going to be a major indicator of their chances of walking out with a win. While both Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum managed to reach the 20-point mark, neither had what one would consider a good night at the office. 

After chasing around Trae Young on Saturday, Tyrese Maxey was once again tasked with defending an All-NBA guard. Lillard is the type of player who will always get his numbers, but Maxey did a great job of making him earn every bucket. Lillard ended the evening shooting 7-of-20 from the floor, while McCollum shot slightly better at 8-of-20. 

Even without the services of Simmons at the moment, the Sixers continue to hang their hat on being a hard-nosed defensive team. 

3. Andre Drummond shines in starting lineup 

Many agree that Drummond should still be a starter in the NBA, and his performance on Monday night was a testament to that. The 28-year-old stepped up and did a great job filling in for Embiid in the starting lineup. 

Similar to Embiid, Drummond did a little bit of everything on both sides of the floor. He ended the game just a little shy of a triple-double with 14 points, 15 rebounds, and seven assists. He also picked up five steals and one block and did not commit a single turnover. 

Having a backup center who can fill in for Embiid has been a mission for the Sixers over the years, but they struck a goldmine with Drummond. His ability to blend in with the lineup and be effective on both ends will make it a lot easier for Rivers and his staff to get Embiid to the NBA Playoffs fully healthy.