Philadelphia 76ers roundtable: Second round series predictions vs. Toronto Raptors

Matt Burnham

It’s the series we have all been waiting for. Philly vs. Toronto. Sixers vs. Raptors. Meek vs. Drake.

This is going to be a classic, not to be hyperbolic. It has the makings of greatness because of the accumulated talent on the floor for both teams. Each team has a superstar with several all-star caliber players around them.

Expect dogfights. The Embiid/Gasol matchup should certainly garner intrigue. Gasol is not the defensive master he once was, but if any center can cause trouble for Joel, it might be him. He is an offensive threat who can dish the ball effectively.

The defensive matchups involving Jimmy Butler/Ben Simmons and Kawhi Leonard/Pascal Siakam will be a true test for all four players. Expect a lot of switching and a lot of tight one-on-one coverage. Who will give who fits? Who will be able to effectively limit the other? Will the physicality take a toll on any of them?

Another variable is which team is most likely to have cold hands from long range. We have seen games where J.J. Redick and Tobias Harris cannot buy a bucket, although Tobias has been spectacular the last four games. We have also seen Kyle Lowry struggle. His Game 1 performances are typically mediocre, for whatever reason. That could be a key opportunity for the Sixers to steal the opener on the road if the Raptors point guard impacts the game in the wrong way for his team.

The bench depth is a concern for the Sixers. The Raptors can go eight or nine deep, whereas the Sixers bench is often times Mike Scott or bust. Boban will be a liability on defense guarding Gasol and Ibaka, who can stretch the floor. If Mike Scott is on, that will work. If he is not… the Sixers could be in trouble.

The biggest issue I see for both teams is that they have not necessarily played high-intensity, meaningful games in a while. With all do respect to the young Nets and Magic, I cannot make too many inferences based off what we saw in the first round. This is a new test for both. New competition. I expect nail biters, anxiety, and heartache. For both fanbases.

Just like most playoff series in NBA history, it will come down to which superstar can take over. Joel Embiid or Kawhi Leonard.

I said about a month ago that the Raptors would be the toughest Eastern Conference opponent for Philadelphia. However, I am rolling with The Process.

Prediction: Sixers in 7