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

[Son Goku 25]

Raps in 3

(That's how good they are!)

In all seriousness I'm just hoping for a good series that isn't determined by lopsided officiating and 40 free-throws between Embiid and Harden.

I feel like the refs are beyond just giving ft's. They know when to make stops or slow pace down and call/not call at the right time and on the right players to screw a team as best as possible. Really, they are criminals.

[PD28]

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Philly been pretty silent since this dropped

[everdiso]

Averaged out all of BPM/RPM/EPM/DPM/Raptor/Lebron and matched up the rosters as best I could - surprisingly the rosters matched up pretty well by usage and minutes aside from the 5th starter matchup (I used Barnes vs Thybulle for that matchup), but Barnes plays fulltime 35+ starter's minutes with solid 18+% usage while Thybulle is only a 25mpg guy with <10% usage so its much easier for Thybulle to put up positive impact metrics in his smaller role. But other than that matchup, each pairing is similar enough in role that they are all pretty fair comps:

Siakam +2.9 ----- Embiid +8.0
VanVleet +3.7 --- Harden +3.6
Anunoby +0.8 ---- Harris +0.7
Trent +1.4 -------- Maxey +0.6
Barnes +0.6 ------ Thybulle +0.7

Boucher +0.8 ---- Niang -1.8
Young -0.2 -------- Green -0.5
Achiuwa -1.5 ----- Korkmaz -2.1
Birch -1.7 --------- Milton -2.3


So basically the analytics see a massive insurmountable advantage with Embiid over Siakam, but with the Raps having a solid consistent depth advantage right down the rest of the lineup. That depth advantage, adjusted to minutes, can claw back a couple of the wins advantage Embiid has the top but nowhere near the full 5+ win gap between Embiid and Siakam.

BUT, there's a silver lining here for us Raps fans at least, and I don't think it's homer BS.

For the raps there are three key players who have been much, much better over the last half of the season than that overall number would indicate - Siakam, Achiuwa, and Boucher. For Boucher, this has just been him returning to last year's great form after a weirdly awful 1st half this year. For Siakam and Achiuwa, though, this has been a step up to a whole new level much higher than they've been before. Siakam was still hovering at pretty much a break even 0 by the analytics even halfway through the year, while Achiuwa had some of the worst metrics in basketball stuck down around -3 or worse for most of the first half. But over the past few months both players' numbers have been legit skyrocketing - so if you want to believe that Siakam and Achiuwa have legit reached a new level that isn't yet fully reflected in their overall metrics, then you have good reason to think this matchup is closer than the overall analytics look.

Meanwhile for the 6ers this isn't really the case - I think Maxey might have bumped up a little bit in the 2nd half but not in as big a way, and he would be the only one.

For me that's a big reason why i keep calling Siakam the real X-factor in this series - Raps need him to be the Siakam of the last few months to win this series. And Achiuwa is no small factor himself, if he can just keep up his play of the last few months.

[nikster]

If the Sixers can limit the raptors second chance points by controlling the defensive glass, this will be over in 6. The raptors are an damn good offensive rebounding team so this will be the key for the Sixers.

Second is they hustle and defelections shots a lot so the other key is keeping the turnovers down for the Sixers and Harden in particular. The raptors have a lot of athletic young wing defenders who defend harden well . This will be a tough series but the Sixers have the best two players but the raptors have way more depth. I got the Sixers in 7

I think Siakams been much better then Harden this year, especially last few months. I think if 76ers have the best 2 players this series they most likely win. Raps will need Siakam to play at a high level.

Agree with the rest tho, Raps rely heavily on turnovers and offensive rebounds to offset their bad half court offense

[everdiso]

I think this might be the first time all year the IR is 100% clear.

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[tdotrep2]

I swear espn has like the same 5 segments everyday. One of them being “all the pressure is on harden??? Please tell me Tim legler or Stephen A or countless other people”. Beating a damn dead horse

lol if only they knew a thing aboiut the raptor team

[sixers4real]

I think this might be the first time all year the IR is 100% clear.

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Great. I love it. No excuses for Raptors fans

[binjumper]

I think this might be the first time all year the IR is 100% clear.

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Great. I love it. No excuses for Raptors fans

Excuses? For the team everyone predicted not to make the playoffs? Not sure what you're getting at. Philly is the favourite in the series. There shouldn't be any excuses from that end.

[Dennis 37]

I think this might be the first time all year the IR is 100% clear.

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Great. I love it. No excuses for Raptors fans

Raptors fans don't excuse losses due to missing players. That's another fan base/west coast state of which you are thinking.

[Wolfgang630]

I think this might be the first time all year the IR is 100% clear.

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Great. I love it. No excuses for Raptors fans

Lol at no excuses. You’re talking like the Raptors are the big favorites. Philadelphia is the favorites. Raptors are not the ones with superstar players

[tdot_steel]

I think this might be the first time all year the IR is 100% clear.

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Great. I love it. No excuses for Raptors fans

Lol at no excuses. You’re talking like the Raptors are the big favorites. Philadelphia is the favorites. Raptors are not the ones with superstar players

Sixers fans are acting like they are a No.1 seed. The Sixers finished 3 games better than the Raptors. They are 1-3 during the season. Plus the last meeting of the season the Raps played without 2 starters and as much as the refs tried to give the Sixers the win they still lost.

Tell me how those superstars have fared against the Raptors in the past. That is the illusion of todays' game is that superstars win.
Give me a "team" that plays together and is well coached and they will prevail. But ignore the fact that FVV and Siakim are playing at an all star level also.

Ask the Lakers and the Clippers how the superstar thing is working out.

[sixers4real]

Great. I love it. No excuses for Raptors fans

Lol at no excuses. You’re talking like the Raptors are the big favorites. Philadelphia is the favorites. Raptors are not the ones with superstar players

Sixers fans are acting like they are a No.1 seed. The Sixers finished 3 games better than the Raptors. They are 1-3 during the season. Plus the last meeting of the season the Raps played without 2 starters and as much as the refs tried to give the Sixers the win they still lost.

Tell me how those superstars have fared against the Raptors in the past. That is the illusion of todays' game is that superstars win.
Give me a "team" that plays together and is well coached and they will prevail. But ignore the fact that FVV and Siakim are playing at an all star level also.

Ask the Lakers and the Clippers how the superstar thing is working out.

See, Wolfgang630?

That’s how Raptors fans make their predictions about this series. Most of the Raptors fans predict they will win.

So yeah, no excuses for then, considering Raptors are healthy.

[GeorgeSears]

Harden's not the problem. When both he and Embiid are on the floor at the same time, the Sixers are a juggernaut. He makes Embiid's life easier too.

The problem is when they get staggered (ie. Embiid on/ Harden off or Harden on/ Embiid off). The Sixers just don't have a strong bench and it puts immense pressure on their starting unit to create enough of a cushion during Harden's and Embiid's rest.

[Appostis]

Lol at no excuses. You’re talking like the Raptors are the big favorites. Philadelphia is the favorites. Raptors are not the ones with superstar players

Sixers fans are acting like they are a No.1 seed. The Sixers finished 3 games better than the Raptors. They are 1-3 during the season. Plus the last meeting of the season the Raps played without 2 starters and as much as the refs tried to give the Sixers the win they still lost.

Tell me how those superstars have fared against the Raptors in the past. That is the illusion of todays' game is that superstars win.
Give me a "team" that plays together and is well coached and they will prevail. But ignore the fact that FVV and Siakim are playing at an all star level also.

Ask the Lakers and the Clippers how the superstar thing is working out.

See, Wolfgang630?

That’s how Raptors fans make their predictions about this series. Most of the Raptors fans predict they will win.

So yeah, no excuses for then, considering Raptors are healthy.

..and the Sixers are healthy..higher seed..so no excuses right?

(Oh...and Thybulle being a moron is not a injury)

[Ballerhogger]

I can’t wait for this one to start 31 pages not single game has been played

[mtcan]

duplicate

[mtcan]

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Philly been pretty silent since this dropped

Somewhere in Philadelphia right now...Tyrese Maxey is punching air.

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[greekman]

this is spose to be a rebuilding year for the raptors. philly went from having at least a window to win now mode when they traded for harden.

[rocketsfan100]

If the Sixers can limit the raptors second chance points by controlling the defensive glass, this will be over in 6. The raptors are an damn good offensive rebounding team so this will be the key for the Sixers.

Second is they hustle and defelections shots a lot so the other key is keeping the turnovers down for the Sixers and Harden in particular. The raptors have a lot of athletic young wing defenders who defend harden well . This will be a tough series but the Sixers have the best two players but the raptors have way more depth. I got the Sixers in 7

I think Siakams been much better then Harden this year, especially last few months. I think if 76ers have the best 2 players this series they most likely win. Raps will need Siakam to play at a high level.

Agree with the rest tho, Raps rely heavily on turnovers and offensive rebounds to offset their bad half court offense

Harden is still better but each Siakam is balling

[KIRAG]

Tbh, this series will not be as exciting if both fanbases are not rabid af