NBA PLAYOFF PREDICTIONS: Celtics vs. Bucks | Rockets vs. Warriors | Trail Blazers vs. Nuggets. I think Toronto, 34-10 at home this season, wins Game 1 tonight and caps a tight series with a Game 7 victory at Scotiabank Centre. These teams share a common thread, having invested heavily in the success of this season and setting up a potentially turbulent summer if they fall flat. But there were times he looked dominant, such as Game 4: 31 points, 12-for-22 shooting, 16 rebounds, seven assists and six blocks. That just piled onto a history of postseason bummers. Kawhi Leonard is Mr. Yet when faced with a big test in the second round, the Raps got themselves swept by the Cavaliers. There are so many variables to consider in this series, and home-court advantage is one of the more important ones.
Perhaps the Raptors will change course and do the same.The front five of the Sixers has been stellar, but the Raptors' starters have been great, too.
Sixers vs. Raptors odds, spread: 2019 NBA picks, Nov. 25 predictions from advanced computer The SportsLine projection model has a pick for the clash between the Sixers and Raptors. 76ers vs Raptors Predictions. He missed the entirety of Game 3 of the first-round series against the Nets. 76ers vs. Raptors: Xs and Os . Perhaps the Raptors will change course and do the same.The front five of the Sixers has been stellar, but the Raptors' starters have been great, too. During the season, Ibaka faced Embiid on 35.7 possessions per game in three games and held him to 42.4 percent shooting.New Raptors center Marc Gasol, too, was brought into Toronto in part for his ability to handle Embiid. Embiid has not been 100 percent, as he has struggled through a knee injury in recent weeks. Both players can be free agents this summer, and the Sixers gave up Robert Covington, Dario Saric, rookie Landry Shamet, a first-rounder in 2020, Miami’s first-rounder in 2021 and two second-rounders (among others) to acquire those players.There’s also some recent history of playoff disappointment in this series, though a much longer legacy for the Raptors than the Sixers.
That just piled onto a history of postseason bummers.
It was a masterpiece.The rest will help Embiid, but we still can’t be sure whether he is 100 percent from night to night, and that could be an issue because the Raptors have two guys who have matched up pretty well against Embiid this season. During the regular season, the Sixers did not allow Siakam to shoot well from the 3-point line (2-for-13) but he did shoot 51.9 percent overall.The most promising stat for the Sixers, though, is that Tobias Harris did well in two games against Siakam this season, covering him on 28 possessions. Embiid has not been 100 percent, as he has struggled through a knee injury in recent weeks. Toronto has slightly better pieces on the bench, but this series is mostly won among the stars.And with Gasol in the middle on Embiid, Embiid not 100 percent and Toronto able to lean on Leonard to carry the Raptors on both ends of the floor, it is hard to see how the Sixers escape with a win in this series.Toronto is too good, too deep and too well-constructed to lose to this Sixers bunch and its mashed-together talent.https://images.daznservices.com/di/library/sporting_news/7a/a9/kawhi-leonard-joel-embiid-getty-042319-ftrjpg_h8kqimb7mzvn1i9zdeortwctb.jpg?t=1287792002&w=500&quality=80https://images.daznservices.com/di/library/sporting_news/4d/ae/butler-embiid-getty-032219-ftrjpg_wjipc1qbflhc1ezkyjkalf1zn.jpg?t=-1497932855&w=500&quality=80 The Raptors ran the play only 15 percent of the time in regular season, which was 23rd, and got 0.87 points per possession from it.Defensively, Philadelphia allowed 0.88 points per possession on pick-and-rolls with the ball handler, which ranked 19th in the league.
The Sixers tend to slow things down when Embiid is on the floor, but that plays into the Raptors’ hands — Toronto wants to get into the half court more than the Sixers do.Embiid has shown he can be an elite talent, but the Raptors have also shown they have a the personnel to slow him down.28.6. In those possessions, Siakam managed only 28.6 percent shooting.Getting Philadelphia into pick-and-rolls was one area in which the Nets had success in the opening round, and just how much the Raptors will turn to the play will be something to watch in this series.
His lowest output came in Game 4, when he had 16 points but did so on a very respectable 7-for-14 shooting. Butler scores 30 as 76ers beat Raptors 94-89 to even series. He’s been stellar.