Over his last 12 games, he is averaging 9.1 points (48.3 percent from the field, 41.2 percent from three-point range), 2.3 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game. Milton, after missing a big chunk of the season due to injury, has regained his stride the last few weeks. Expect to see increased minutes for Shake Milton and possibly a little bit of Furkan Korkmaz or Isaiah Joe sprinkled in throughout the series. In the games where Thybulle is unavailable, the Sixers will be forced to dig a bit deeper into their rotation. Green, over the final three games of the regular season, shot the ball 52.6 percent from beyond the arc. Having Green in the starting lineup allows the Sixers to surround Embiid with four shooters, something that has proven to be a successful formula throughout Embiid's career. “And I do like that it’s tough for teams to game plan on their trapping. "Just for continuity’s sake," Rivers said after the win over the Indiana Pacers last Saturday. Head coach Doc Rivers adjusted the starting lineup by starting Danny Green in Thybulle's spot, something it looks like they will do throughout the series even when Thybulle is available to play. The team will be without defensive standout Matisse Thybulle for all the road games in the series (a maximum of three games) due to Canada's Covid vaccination policy. The Sixers will have to receive production from throughout the roster, especially in games in Toronto. Bench stepping up will be key to handling Thybulle's limited availability Of note: The Raptors have given Embiid issues offensively, but he still averaged 29.0 points and 11.3 rebounds in three games against them this season.ģ. The Sixers will need to have crisp ball movement while taking advantage of the open shots created along the perimeter from all the double and triple teams facing Embiid. The Raptors will likely look to take him away by forcing the ball out of his hands and making the Sixers rely on their supporting cast. The key for Embiid in this series will be to make quick decisions with the ball in his hands. "Every single time we play them as soon as the ball is in the air they have 3 guys in me and won’t leave me alone." "Toronto is the only team that really just doesn’t allow me to ," Embiid said on an episode of the Zach Lowe podcast last April. They can swarm him with double or triple teams, and their long length presents major problems for Embiid when combined with the attacking defensive style Raptors' head coach Nick Nurse likes to use against Philadelphia. The Raptors are uniquely equipped to be able to defend Joel Embiid around the paint or in the post. Embiid handling the Raptors tough defense He averaged 10.5 assists per game in 21 games since becoming a Sixer, although the team will likely need more than just assists from him if they are to win the series.Ģ. Regardless of how much Harden impacts the series as a scorer, the one thing he is guaranteed to provide is his passing ability. He came out of that mini-break in the season on fire, scoring 26.8 points per game on 59.2 percent shooting from the field in his first four games in a Sixers uniform. The Sixers traded for him at the trade deadline and gave him the following two weeks post-trade to rest and rehab his hamstring. The week off Harden will receive between his last game of the regular season on April 9 and Game 1 against the Raptors on Saturday could potentially lead to some improvement in his play. The Sixers will come a lot closer to finding out the answer beginning in the first round against the Raptors. His shooting struggles and lack of explosion are likely the result of either a hamstring injury, him losing a step or him holding something back in reserve for the playoffs. Over his last 17 games, he is averaging 19.7 points while shooting 36.3 percent from the field and 29.1 percent from three-point range. He has lacked the burst and explosive first step that has allowed him to be one of the best scorers in the league out of isolation situations. James Harden has struggled as a scorer since debuting with the Sixers after the All-Star break. Before then, here is a preview of the series containing key things to pay attention to, important team stats, x-factors and a prediction for how the series will play out:ġ. The series kicks off on Saturday night at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. Their length and physicality will present a tough matchup against a bigger, more star-driven Sixers roster. Toronto took three out of four regular season matchups. The Sixers are set to face off against the rival Toronto Raptors in the first round of the playoffs. The Philadelphia 76ers finished the regular season at 51-31 and will enter the playoffs as the No. By Matt Gregan, Sports Talk Philly Staff Writer
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