Sixers Look to Tame Tired Raptors

By Sean Kennedy (@PhillyFastBreak)

Still in search of their first win of the season, the 76ers will try to make like Chris Pratt and tame the Raptors Wednesday night. Although Toronto comes into play 5-3 on the season, Philadelphia is actually catching them at a great time, as the Raptors just lost a close game in New York last night, have lost three straight overall, and may once again be without DeMarre Carroll. Carroll has missed a handful of games with plantar fasciitis and it would be surprising for Toronto to throw their big free agent acquisition and best defender out there at less than 100% against a ‘lowly’ Sixers team who they might feel they can beat without him.

Even without Carroll, and likely his backup Terrance Ross who suffered a ligament injury in his thumb Monday in practice, the Raptors still have plenty of firepower. Former Villanova guard Kyle Lowry very publicly lost a bunch of weight over the offseason (kudos on that, Mr. Professional Athlete), and has been playing great ball, averaging 18.9 points, 6.5 assists, and 2.4 steals per game. For all the great work he’s done setting up others offensively, T.J. McConnell has struggled to a degree in defending opposing point guards, and Lowry is one of the best he’ll come across.

Additionally, Toronto is tied for the best rate in the league at getting to the free throw line, thanks in large part to leading scorer DeMar DeRozan, who makes over 8 free throws per contest. Whether it’s Stauskas, Jerami Grant, or whoever, the Sixer guarding DeRozan will have to make sure not to fall for any of his subtle pump fakes when DeRozan is working his midrange game.

Finally, the Raptors also have the fourth-highest offensive rebounding rate in the NBA, behind big man Jonas Valanciunas, fresh off his signing a 4-year, $64 million extension. Valanciunas has been given more of an opportunity to play down the stretch of games this season by head coach Dwane Casey, and has responded by averaging 15.0 points on 62.2% shooting and collecting 10 boards per game. Jahlil Okafor will have to be very committed to both his defense and work on the glass, and it wouldn’t hurt if he could get Valanciunas in foul trouble on the other end.

Of course, the Sixers’ chances of seizing any opportunity for victory hinge greatly upon the status of Nerlens Noel. Noel missed Monday’s game against Chicago with sore wrists, and while he said he felt better yesterday and Brett Brown stated Noel could be back against Toronto, we won’t know for sure until later in the day. If Noel is out once again, the Sixers will once again be extremely thin in the front court, and just in general with Robert Covington still sidelined until at least Saturday. We’ll see if this M.A.S.H. unit has a spirited effort in them tonight and can use fresh legs to pull off the upset.

Update: Nerlens Noel has been officially ruled out for tonight’s game. The Sixers will once again start Richaun Holmes alongside Jahlil Okafor, with Christian Wood the first big off the bench.