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After playing their debut 2021-22 NBA preseason game at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, the Toronto Raptors will play the Philadelphia 76ers once again Thursday. In their previous meeting, the Sixers, going through internal turmoil and drama regarding Ben Simmons' future with the team, were soundly beaten by the home side.
While the Philadelphia 76ers finished the 2020-21 NBA regular season as the top seeded team in the Eastern Conference, the Toronto Raptors were ranked 12th in the same conference. The low-seeded team trumped in the first game, but it is safe to assume that Philly will not make things easy for the Raptors in their home arena.
Match Details
Fixture - Toronto Raptors vs Philadelphia 76ers | NBA Preseason 2021-22.
Date & Time - Thursday, October 7th, 2021, 7:00 PM ET (Friday, October 8th, 2021, 4:30 AM IST).
Venue - Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA.
Toronto Raptors Preview
The Toronto Raptors started their preseason on a positive note. Under Nick Nurse's guidance, Canada's only NBA team won its first championship in 2019. Considered a brilliant offensive strategist, Nurse was unable to guide his team to the playoffs after Kawhi Leonard's exit. The Raptors have now also lost Kyle Lowry, who has decided to move to Miami for better opportunities.
The Raptors lack pure scorers and rely heavily on Pascal Siakam and Fred VanVleet on the offensive end. In the upcoming game, Siakam will most definitely sit out due to injury. However, it will be a good chance for Toronto to find other reliable scorers capable of taking pressure off of Siakam and VanVleet's shoulders.
Key Player - OG Anunoby
OG Anunoby developed into a fine player in the 2020-21 regular season. He averaged 15.9 points per game in the 43 games he played. Along with his scoring tally, he also averaged a 39.8% three-point accuracy by converting 2.4 of his 6.1 shots from downtown.
In the first game against the Philadelphia 76ers, Anunoby was the highest scoring player for his team. His contribution of 21 points was decisive in the team's victory. We believe he will remain a key player in the game to be held on Thursday.
Toronto Raptors Predicted Lineup
G - Malachi Flynn, G - Fred VanVleet, F - OG Anunoby, F - Scottie Barnes, C - Precious Achiuwa
Philadelphia 76ers Preview
The Philadelphia 76ers were built around the duo of Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons. However, Simmons has declared a cold war against his ball club and has now refused to play with the team. After their humbling defeat at the hands of the Raptors, the Sixers will try to fill the offensive and defensive vacuum left in the Australian star's wake.
It is still not clear whether potential MVP candidate Joel Embiid will return to play on October 7th. He missed the first game against Toronto and his absence highlighted glaring cracks in the Philadelphia 76ers offense.
Key Player - Andre Drummond
Andre Drummond is one of the most formidable rebounders in the league. He had 13.5 rebounds per game while playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2020-21 regular season. However, Drummond is not only a dominant rebounder but a decent scorer capable of pushing the rival defense to its limit.
In the first game against the Toronto Raptors, Drummond scored 19 points and snatched 14 rebounds. He was the best player on the Philadelphia 76ers squad and we believe he will be crucial to the team's hopes on thursday as well.
Philadelphia 76ers Predicted Lineup
G - Seth Curry, G - Issiah Joe, F - Danny Green, F - Paul Reed, C - Andre Drummond
Raptors vs 76ers Match Prediction
The Toronto Raptors demolished the Philadelphia 76ers defense in the previous game. We believe the next game will be a completely different story. The Sixers possess three-point depth with Curry. Tyrese Maxey and Drummond will provide the team with strong scoring assistance. We predict Philly to come away with a win.
Where to watch Raptors vs 76ers?
The Toronto Raptors vs. the Philadelphia 76ers will be available for viewing locally on NBC Sports Philadelphia and TSN2.
