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The Toronto Raptors take on the Philadelphia 76ers looking for their first win of the 2020-21 NBA Season. The 2018-19 champions, Toronto Raptors have lost their matches against the New Orleans Pelicans and the San Antonio Spurs.
Philadelphia 76ers, on the other hand, convincingly won their first two games before suffering a loss at the hands of the Cleveland Cavaliers, something they would be hoping is an exception than the norm.
Toronto Raptors vs Philadelphia 76ers: A starting five filled with young players
The Toronto Raptors are sticking to a similar plan like that of last year. Marc Gasol and Serge Ibaka's loss continues to weigh heavily on the team, but Aron Baynes is playing his part from what we've seen until now.
Pascal Siakam, Kyle Lowry, and Fred Vanvleet continue to dominate in their roles with the team, and OG Annunoby, who is their new starter at the small forward position, has also done very well. The Toronto Raptors need to get back on track defensively; however, as for the second-best defensive team last year, they are a shadow of their former self from what we've seen so far.
The Philadelphia 76ers also saw some fundamental changes this offseason after a disappointing 4-0 sweep by the Celtics last postseason.
Starting with new General Manager Daryl Morey and Head Coach Doc Rivers, they have gone ahead, creating a roster around Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid with three and D players. Seth Curry, Danny Green, and Dwight Howard all arrived last offseason, hoping to lift some of the scoring burden from 76ers star duo.
Now let's look at the combined starting five featuring players from Toronto Raptors and the Philadelphia 76ers.
Point Guard - Ben Simmons
Two-time All-star Ben Simmons is one of the brightest young prospects in the league right now. He has averaged nearly 16 points, 8 rebounds, and 8 assists last season and has been looking just as strong in what we've seen of him this year so far.
Most people, experts and fans alike, believe Simmons is one jump shot away from becoming a superstar, but coach Doc Rivers thinks differently.
Simmons is an outstanding player even without the mid range, mainly due to his athleticism and high frame of 6'10", which allows him to see over nearly every point guard in the league. An elite defender too, Simmons led the league in steals last year. Against Toronto Raptors, except the 24-year-old to play a very vital role.
Shooting Guard - Fred VanVleet
Fred VanVleet made history this offseason, signing the largest contract for an undrafted player in NBA history with the Toronto Raptors. From playing just 8 minutes, averaging under 3 points a game for his first season in 2016, VanVleet averaged nearly 18 points per game in his 2019-2020 campaign.
An essential characteristic of VanVleet is his elite defense, something no one would expect from a 6 feet tall guard. However, the statistics speak for themselves, and last year, Fred VanVleet stood fourth in the NBA in steals per game.
Small Forward - Tobias Harris
Tobias Harris is an often ignored player for the Philadelphia 76ers with Simmons and Embiid taking majority of the spotlight. That doesn't make him any less of an important player for the team, however, and the 5-year $180 million contract he is currently on is a testament to that.
Averaging 16 points over his nine-year career in the NBA, Harris is more than your average player. After his stint with the LA Clippers, things were became more challenging for him in Philadelphia. However, now reunited with his old coach, he already looks much better than before, with a promising performance so far, even in their loss to the Cavaliers.
Power Forward - Pascal Siakam
The 4th player on this list, Pascal Siakam was drafted 27th overall in the 2016 NBA draft by the Toronto Raptors, and his development since then has been nothing short of phenomenal. After an initial slow start, the 26-year-old had a breakout 2018-19 season during the Raptors championship run.
He also bagged the Most Improved Player award for that season, and in the 2019-2020 season, became one of the most important players on the Raptors squad, earning his first all-star appearance.
Center - Joel Embiid
Joel Embiid, who started playing basketball at the age of 15, has turned into arguably one of the best players in the league.
The 7-footer has been selected to three consecutive All-star games since 2017-18, being a starter each time. Averaging 24 points and 11.5 rebounds in his NBA career so far, the Cameroonian center looks just as good this season with an extra three-point shot in his arsenal.
He has scored 28 points with 12 rebounds on average in the two games he played, and the game he missed saw the Philadelphia 76ers get blown out. He will undoubtedly be the most dominant force on the court against the Raptors, should he play.
ALSO READ: Milwaukee Bucks vs Miami Heat: Combined starting 5 featuring Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jimmy Butler
