Eastern Conference | Round 1 | (4) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (5) Toronto Raptors

[Gorilla Monsoon]

Canada has lost the plot. Mandates for vaccines that don’t work well and produce serious adverse events for an illness that is as severe as the common cold. Watch me get a warning for this view as “political” while all other pro vax comments attacking the player get a pass.

I've seen people dump on you on the Knicks board as someone who has "lost their mind". I've also been insulted there many times for my stance on this. I look at it as a badge of honor. Internet forums tend to lean left, and I think there are some correlations to be made there, but I'll refrain. Nice to know there's at least some like-minded people here.

LOL didn’t know I was discussed there. Yes and you know, the “left” used to believe in free speech and bodily autonomy and all that good stuff. It is amazing how the 1% can use the media to get people to hate on and censor those who are truly independent and radical in thought. They don’t realize their brainwashing and then turn around and call the truly aware who have shut off their tvs “brainwashed.”

It's surreal

S3 for Continued derailing with politics. Repeated offender. - Ken

[Bill Bradley]

Anyways, go Sixers I guess. Neither team will get past the second round.

[ajones9219]

I'll go Sixers in 7 but I think the Raps reverse their usual move and steal the first game and pucker Philly fans for the whole series.

[whatisacenter]

I've seen people dump on you on the Knicks board as someone who has "lost their mind". I've also been insulted there many times for my stance on this. I look at it as a badge of honor. Internet forums tend to lean left, and I think there are some correlations to be made there, but I'll refrain. Nice to know there's at least some like-minded people here.

LOL didn’t know I was discussed there. Yes and you know, the “left” used to believe in free speech and bodily autonomy and all that good stuff. It is amazing how the 1% can use the media to get people to hate on and censor those who are truly independent and radical in thought. They don’t realize their brainwashing and then turn around and call the truly aware who have shut off their tvs “brainwashed.”

It's surreal

curious, where do you two get your information?

[Bill Bradley]

LOL didn’t know I was discussed there. Yes and you know, the “left” used to believe in free speech and bodily autonomy and all that good stuff. It is amazing how the 1% can use the media to get people to hate on and censor those who are truly independent and radical in thought. They don’t realize their brainwashing and then turn around and call the truly aware who have shut off their tvs “brainwashed.”

It's surreal

curious, where do you two get your information?

Reading the actual science itself. I followed the medical literature on masks, treatments for covid, and vaccines since I’m a scientist myself. It became very clear to me that there was a massive effort to spin things a particular way.

S2 for Continued derailing with politics. Repeated offender. - Ken

[pingpongrac]

The Raps are one of the hottest teams in the league, and their defence was great the last 15-20 games, so I understand the conference Raptor fans have, but I don't think I can pick them over a more experienced team with an MVP candidate. The hot team coming into a 4/5 matchup feels commonplace, so that it will be a tough series either way.

That's fair. I mean, Philly does have the best and most dominant player plus the potential of Harden suddenly playing like he's not Rubio while also owning HCA. Toronto has some very inexperienced players too with Barnes and Achiuwa getting their first playoff taste while Boucher (47 total playoff minutes) and GTJ (5 bubble playoff games) haven't really got a proper taste of playoff basketball either. It could get really ugly if Toronto can't force turnovers or get on the glass to try to get some easy transition points.

I think when looking at the Raptors, the last ~50 games are a very good read at what the team can be though -- and coupled with the fact that Toronto beat Philly twice in the last month despite being without FVV and OG in both games, there is reason for optimism.

In the first 32 games, Toronto's top 5 (Siakam, FVV, OG, Barnes, GTJ) played just 3 games together. When they were finally all healthy in January, Nurse rode those 5 + Boucher and Achiuwa off the bench and basically went with a 7-man rotation plus some spot minutes from Banton and Yuta. This continued into February when Toronto picked up Thad, which pushed the rotation to a solid 8 with barely any minutes going to the rest. Since the ASB, Toronto hasn't really been healthy (OG missed 19 of 25 games and FVV missed 10 of 25 games), but they posted a 16-9 record in large part due to their defence (#5 post-ASB) and Siakam (25/8/6).

First 32 games: 15-17; Svi played all 32 games (18.6 MPG), Banton played 29 games (12.7 MPG) and Flynn played 23 games (9.5 MPG) while Champagnie (16 GP and 7.4 MPG), Yuta (13 GP and 21.3 MPG) and Bonga (11 GP and 5.4 MPG) also had some chances at the rotation. A lot of extra minutes went to 3rd stringers and G-Leaguers.

Last 50 games: 33-17; Banton (35 GP and 9.4 MPG), Yuta (24 GP and 6.8 MPG), Svi (24 GP and 5.1 MPG) and Bonga (4 GP and 2.4 MPG) played significantly less while Flynn (21 GP and 15.2 MPG) basically only played high minutes when FVV was injured/resting (26 MPG in 11 such games, 4 MPG in the other 10). A lot of extra minutes went to Toronto's top 7 or 8 players while the 3rd stringers and G-Leaguers generally only played in blowouts or a couple minutes here and there.

[Perseus1966]

If Joel decide to playcas a center 76ers will win ,if he play like a sg they will go fishing.

[timO]

Sixers in 7.

[Duffman100]

All the pressure is on the 76ers. None on the Raps.

Not sure I’d want to play a free and easy Raptor team

[Clay Davis]

Well, guess that's 6 minutes less of Thybulle per game in games 3 and 4.

[mademan]

Taking the Sixers out in the first round would be so satisfying. Harden and Embiid gotta keep the choke routine going

[AussieCeltic]

Raptors fans.. we’ve had our problems in the past, but I’m here for you.

Raps in 6!

[primecougar]

It's surreal

curious, where do you two get your information?

Reading the actual science itself. I followed the medical literature on masks, treatments for covid, and vaccines since I’m a scientist myself. It became very clear to me that there was a massive effort to spin things a particular way.

May i ask what kind of scientist? I don't understand what science you are following or how the literature shows that the vaccines have numerous adverse effects?

Wearing a mask is a common thing in the medical industry, nurses wear it, dentists wear it, and surgeons wear it all the time when performing surgery. Asian countries have done it for the years.

The information about the trials for the vaccines are out. I dont know what you read but which paet of it do you have a problem with?

[Duffman100]

The “truly aware”. Jesus Christ we’re living in scary times.

[blackcosmos]

All depends on which Harden Sixers is getting.

[Ritzo]

Embiid will average 30 ppg in this series but will only average 4 ppg in the 4th quarter. First time I will be rooting for the Raps.
Raps in 5

[Gasolina]

I hope the Raptors get swept here because I'm tired of Canada's draconian vax mandates threatening the quality of what should otherwise be a great playoff.

We have the same mandate. Difference is that none of Toronto’s players are stupid or petulant enough to refuse the vaccine, and thus can enter the country as they please.

[Gasolina]

Canada has lost the plot. Mandates for vaccines that don’t work well and produce serious adverse events for an illness that is as severe as the common cold. Watch me get a warning for this view as “political” while all other pro vax comments attacking the player get a pass.

You should get a warning for spreading fake news. US has the exact same mandates in place. If Toronto had any unvaccinated players, they wouldn't be able to cross the border to the States either.

If Thybulle wants to not get vaccinated, that's his choice. But that doesn't mean he shouldn't have to face the music when it has been well-known for about a year now that being vaccinated would be mandatory to cross the Canada/US border either way.

Sent from my Pixel 4 using RealGM mobile app

1) (and I don't want to speak for BB here), people who are against the vax mandates in Canada are likely vehemently against them in the US is well. Nobody is defending the fact that unvaccinated Canadians can't cross our border. It's all horrible.

2) At least the mandates have mostly been lifted here for Americans. Kyrie can play in Brooklyn now which is a major shift. But as far as I know, if Siakam wasn't vaccinated, he'd be barred from playing at home. It's not just a border thing. I think that's draconian, and I feel comfortable criticizing the Canadian government for that.

3) Doesn't the bolded part freak you out a little? Does that not sound like a conspiracy theory come true? Does that not sound like some Nazi Germany, "show me your papers" type of thing?

Do you also consider having to show a passport at the border Nazi-like oppression? It is literally a “show me your papers” after all. Smdh

[zshawn10]

Harden has to come out and set the tone from the start; he’s got a big choker label when it comes to the playoffs. If the 6ers lose in round 1, at minimum doc is gone

[mtcan]

The Raps are one of the hottest teams in the league, and their defence was great the last 15-20 games, so I understand the conference Raptor fans have, but I don't think I can pick them over a more experienced team with an MVP candidate. The hot team coming into a 4/5 matchup feels commonplace, so that it will be a tough series either way.

What makes Philly "more experienced" exactly? NONE of the Sixers outside of Danny Green have sniffed a deep playoff run. James Harden after all these years can't make it past the second round.

There are still 2 guys on the Raptors with legit championship experience that made big plays and were on the floor when games mattered. Only Danny Green can say that in Philly and he didn't play the role that Fred and Pascal had during that championship run.

Embiid has post-traumatic stress from getting blitzed by Raptors defensive schemes throughout that series and in subsequent regular season games ever since.