Tonight, the Philadelphia 76ers are in Toronto, Canada, as they face off against Pascal Siakam, Fred VanVleet, and the Toronto Raptors. In what could very well be a preview of the first round of the NBA playoffs, the Sixers will look to continue building off of their current three-game winning streak.
On the season, Philadelphia currently trails the series 1-2. They’ll look to even up the matchup tonight in the Scotiabank Arena.
Injury Report
Philadelphia 76ers
- Matisse Thybulle – Out (Ineligible)
The Philadelphia 76ers will be without defensive star Matisse Thybulle tonight. The third-year player was ruled ineligible for the trip to Toronto due to Canada’s vaccine requirement. It won’t be easy for the Sixers to overcome this loss as the team’s depth was questionable already.
Danny Green and Furkan Korkmaz will be relied upon greatly in Thybulle’s absence. There’s no word at this time as to who will start in Thybulle’s place, but the likely answer is Green, who boasts more experience and is a more natural fit with the starters.
Toronto Raptors
- Yuta Watanabe – Out (Quadriceps)
- OG Anunoby – Questionable (Thigh)
Meanwhile, the Toronto Raptors will be at least with Yuta Watanabe, who continues to deal with a quadricep injury. However, it’s not just Watanabe who risks missing tonight’s game, as OG Anunoby is listed as questionable with a thigh injury.
Toronto still boasts plenty of firepower, though, so whether or not Anunoby plays, the Raptors will certainly prove to be a tough test for Philadelphia.
Keys to the Game
The Sixers tonight would be wise to get their MVP candidate involved early and often. Joel Embiid has been on an impressive tear as of late, averaging 39.3 points and 14.7 rebounds over his past three games. The Sixers will need their star to continue that streak of dominance if they’re to win tonight.
Outside of the obvious need for Embiid, the Sixers’ depth must also step up to secure a victory. With either Danny Green or Furkan Korkmaz stepping into the starting lineup, Philadelphia will be even shorter on the bench than usual.
The absence of Matisse Thybulle will lead to an opportunity for multiple Sixers to prove themselves right before the playoffs. An opportunity to earn a spot in the postseason rotation. Players like Georges Niang, Danny Green, and Deandre Jordan, for whatever reason, will certainly be staples of the bench. While Shake Milton, Furkan Korkmaz, or even Isaiah Joe could quite possibly — though unlikely — earn some spare minutes here or there with a stellar performance tonight.
76ers/Raptors Betting Lines
Per Draft Kings, the Philadelphia 76ers are slight favorites to win tonight’s matchup.
- Spread: 76ers -1.5
- 76ers Moneyline: -125
- Raptors Moneyline: +105
- O/U: 226.5
