7 reasons why the Raptors can upset the 76ers in the playoffs
The Toronto Raptors head into their playoff series against the Philadelphia 76ers as underdogs on paper.
The fourth-seeded 76ers (51-31) host the fifth-seeded Raptors (48-34) on Saturday in the first of a best-of-seven.
But if their records being only three games apart didn’t give you a heads up, there’s plenty of reason to believe in the upstart Raptors team.
Here are seven reasons why the Raptors could pull off the upset over the 76ers:
1. James Harden’s struggles
James Harden hasn’t been quite the player 76ers fans expected of him when he was sent over from Brooklyn in a megadeal centred around beleaguered point guard Ben Simmons.
The 2017-18 NBA MVP has had his moments in a Philly uniform, but has undergone a shooting slump, shooting just 36% from the field since March 7.
James Harden with Sixers
First 4 games: Since:
27 PPG 20 PPG
59 FG% 36 FG%
50 3P% 30 3P%He has as many turnovers as field goals in his last 5 games. pic.twitter.com/wscCqDDrym
— StatMuse (@statmuse) April 8, 2022
If Harden can’t pull it together come playoff time, it could be a tough series for his 76ers.
2. Nick Nurse vs. Doc Rivers
Philadelphia head coach Doc Rivers was named one of the NBA’s All-Time 15 greatest coaches earlier in the year, with a career that spans across 23 seasons and includes nearly 1800 games on the bench of four different NBA teams.
Toronto’s Nick Nurse, meanwhile, has only been an NBA head coach for four seasons, all of which have come with the Raptors.
But longevity doesn’t always mean better in the NBA. Both Rivers and Nurse have one coach of the year award and one NBA title to show for it.
Rivers also has the unfortunate distinction of being on the bench for three separate 3-1 blown series leads, the only NBA coach in history to do so.
For Nurse, it’s another chance to update his already impressive NBA resume, while Rivers is looking for a chance to live up to his lofty expectations.
3. Joel Embiid coverage
Joel Embiid has undoubtedly emerged as one of the league’s best players, finishing second in MVP voting and being in consideration for the award once again this season.
But due in part to strong coaching from Nurse, Embiid has had his share of down performances against Toronto as well, including an infamous zero-point game back in November 2019.
“They won’t leave me alone,” Embiid told ESPN’s Zach Lowe on The Lowe Post podcast last season. “Toronto is the only team that doesn’t allow me to [have as much space.] As soon as the ball’s in the air they’ll just send three guys at me.”
Joel Embiid on The Lowe Post last year describing how the Raptors' double/triple team is different:
"As soon as the ball's in the air they'll just send three guys at me and they won't leave me alone until I actually pass it." pic.twitter.com/zWAJm6yuPG
— Vivek Jacob (@vivekmjacob) April 11, 2022
4. Matisse Thybulle’s absence
76ers forward Matisse Thybulle will miss at least games 3 and 4 (and if necessary, 6) due to the fact he is not fully vaccinated and therefore ineligible to enter Canada.
Thybulle, a member of the 2020-21 All-NBA Second Defensive team, told reporters yesterday he “felt like I had a solid foundation of medical resources that could serve me beyond what this vaccine could do.”
5. Philadelphia has all the pressure
Three of Toronto’s projected Game 1 starters, Pascal Siakam, Fred VanVleet, and OG Anunoby, already have NBA championship rings.
Meanwhile, Philadelphia’s lineup: Harden, Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, Tobias Harris, and whatever mix of Thybulle and other players started, are still searching for their first ring.
Danny Green (with three of them, including one with Toronto) is actually the only player on Philadelphia’s roster with a championship.
Philadelphia came into the season as a projected championship contender, while Toronto was picked by most to miss the playoffs.
For the Raptors, simply being here is an accomplishment, while the 76ers are facing pressure to push on to their first Conference Finals since 2001.
6. Toronto won the season series
Toronto was able to get the better of Philadelphia in three of their four matchups during the 2021-22 regular season.
While Rivers brushed back a reporter’s question last week that the Raptors “had their number,” at the very least, they’ve proven they’re capable of pulling out the strings to earn the wins.
One of Toronto’s biggest strengths has been the variance in their offensive production, with five different players: Siakam, VanVleet, Anunoby, Gary Trent Jr., and Scottie Barnes all averaging 15 points per game or more this season.
Philly’s fifth leading scorer, Georges Niang, averages just 9.2 points per game this season. If Toronto can continue to isolate the 76ers’ stars, the path opens up for the Raptors to keep picking up the wins.
7. Luck
Try as you might to break down a seven-game series, sometimes it just all comes down to the bounces at the end.
Of course, the Raptors topped Philadelphia in an epic seven-game set back in 2019, with Kawhi Leonard’s iconic buzzer-beater proving to be the difference maker in the series. It’s not always about the best team, just who gets the best luck.
Both rosters have changed so much in the past three years since that iconic shot. In fact, four of the five Raptors who were on the floor for it: Leonard, Serge Ibaka, Kyle Lowry, and Marc Gasol, have since moved on from the team.
For the 76ers, it’s three players on the court for that shot who are no longer on the team: Jimmy Butler, Ben Simmons, and James Ennis III. So while that series won’t have much carryover to this one, it reminded everyone about one of the most timeless lessons in sports: you never truly know what might happen.
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