The Toronto Raptors and the Philadelphia 76ers will meet for the last time before the playoffs this Wednesday. The Raptors are ahead in the regular-season series against the Sixers, 2-1. Will Toronto make it 3-1? Or will the Sixers pull even?
Without Kyle Lowry, Serge Ibaka, and FredVanVleet, the defending world champions Raptors still pulled off a 114-106 win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday. The top guys for Toronto in the win came off the bench. Chris Boucher led the Raps with 25 points and 11 rebounds, while rookie Matt Thomas added 22 points to go with four 3-pointers. It remains unclear what Toronto’s plans are for their lineup in this coming Tuesday’ date with the Sixers, but don’t be surprised if some of the Raptors’ key players take a rest or get limited minutes again. In any case, the Raptors will not have to worry about dealing with Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons, who are both out with injuries. Toronto won the last meeting between the two teams, 107-95, last January.
The Raptors are 7-2-1 against the spread in their last 10 games.
The Sixers are headed to the playoffs — but without Simmons. The point-forward hybrid just had surgery on his left knee last Monday, and it’s going to take him months at least to recover and return to action. For now, the Sixers will have to brave through with what they have, even if that means also missing Embiid, who suffered an ankle injury during last Sunday’s loss to the Portland Trail Blazers. Although Sixers head coach Brett Brown expressed optimism about Embiid’s chances to play before the playoffs, the team would likely rather rest him than risk re-injury to their All-Star big man. Presuming Al Horford will play in this game, expect the veteran to handle most of the duties at the post on both ends of the floor for the Sixers, who defeated Toronto last December at home, 110-94. Rookie Mattise Thybulle has good memories of that game in which he scored 20 points and went 5 of 8 from deep in 32 minutes off the bench.
The Sixers are 3-2 against the spread in their last five games against Toronto.
