PLAYER GRADES: Toronto Raptors 108, Philadelphia 76ers 95
The Philadelphia 76ers struggled to contain the Toronto Raptors’ best players in Game 1.
With expectations running high, the Philadelphia 76ers traveled to Toronto for Game 1 on Saturday night. Brett Brown’s squad failed to show up, as Kawhi Leonard and Pascal Siakam both detonated for a combined 74 points.
The Sixers are underdogs, but most entered the series expecting a competitive battle. There’s still a good chance it shakes out that way, but Philadelphia’s inability to impede Toronto’s best players — combined with some sketchy halfcourt offense — left some fans concerned. And rightfully so.
Few teams are better equipped to exploit the Sixers’ flaws and limit their strengths. Marc Gasol is an elite Joel Embiid defender, using his strong frame and quick hands to stonewall Embiid at the rim. Kawhi has given Ben Simmons trouble all season. Add in the Raptors’ ability to take advantage of turnovers and blanket the halfcourt offense, and pundits’ collective pessimism regarding the Sixers makes a bit more sense.
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Even so, Game 1 wasn’t quite as bad as the scoreboard appeared. The Sixers were thoroughly outperformed, but there were enough positives to give moderate optimism moving forward. Maybe not “the Sixers can win the series” optimism, but optimism the ensuing games will get more competitive.
The Sixers endured 45 points and 11 rebounds from Kawhi Leonard, who made a convincing case for Best Player in the World — a title that has been up for debate in recent weeks. He shredded the Sixers’ best defenders and scored from all three levels, seldom relenting.
It didn’t take long for Simmons to emerge as the Sixers’ only semi-effective defender on Kawhi. His size, length and strength can offset Kawhi on a physical level. Jimmy Butler, Tobias Harris and others were unable to do so.
Pascal Siakam also tore through Philadelphia’s defense, with both he and Kawhi dropping 20+ points in the first half. The Sixers need to adjust their defensive strategy for Siakam, as he often found himself in favorable mismatches.
When you venture beyond the Raptors’ main stars, however, there’s less to write home about. Only five other players scored for Toronto, none reaching double digits. The Sixers effectively contained everyone outside Leonard and Siakam, and those two won’t shoot at 70-80 percent clips all series.
On Philadelphia’s end, one of the biggest concerns was whether or not Simmons could hold up against Leonard and the Raptors defense. He ended up being the Sixers’ best player, scoring 14 points on 7-8 shooting and grabbing nine boards. Brown made sure to involve Simmons off-ball, both as a screener and a cutter. The results were very much positive.
Even on an off night, the Sixers also got promising moments from Joel Embiid, who registered a +4 in 29 minutes. He scored just 16 points on 5-18 shooting, but there were makable shots that rimmed out. You can also expect a more aggressive, determined Embiid in Game 2.
In general, the starters weren’t inept. The Sixers kept pace with Toronto when the big guns were on the court. It was the second unit that made the difference, even with the Raptors’ lopsided production. The Sixers’ bench, especially on defense, opened too many holes.
Brown made the interesting (and controversial) decision to deploy Furkan Korkmaz in the second unit. While there’s a need for shooting and Korkmaz wasn’t the main reason for Philadelphia’s defeat, it was definitely a questionable decision. Zhaire Smith‘s on-ball defense could provide more value in a postseason setting.
Fears about the backup center position were also realized. Boban Marjanovic was asked to defend outside the paint, with bad results. Jonah Bolden also struggled in his minutes, shooting 1-6 and missing key defensive rotations.
Things will normalize once Mike Scott returns, but that needs to happen soon. The Sixers will also need to lean more heavily on the starting five, potentially giving more minutes to Ben Simmons, Tobias Harris and Jimmy Butler.
A. <strong>33 mins | 14 pts | 9 reb | 3 ast | 2 stl | 0 blk | 2 TO | 7-8 FG | 0-0 3PT| 0-1 FT | 4 PF | -7 |</strong><p>Simmons was the Sixers’ most effective star, negating Kawhi’s elite defense with more off-ball actions than normal. He set screens, cut to the rim, and found ways to score and distribute efficiently. After averaging over eight turnovers per game in three regular season contests against Kawhi, his low turnover number was a pleasant development.</p>. PG. Philadelphia 76ers. BEN SIMMONS
JOEL EMBIID. C+. <strong>29 mins | 16 pts | 8 reb | 2 ast | 0 stl | 0 blk | 0 TO | 5-18 FG | 1-3 3PT| 5-6 FT | 2 PF | +4 |</strong><p>It was a slow offensive night for Embiid, as he scored just 16 points on 18 shots. With only six free throws and some tough misses, the big man wasn’t able to make his normal impact. It’s also a testament to Gasol’s strong post defense. It wasn’t all bad for Embiid, though, as he protected the rim and managed to register a +4 despite the final score. He will get more shots to fall in the future.</p>. C. Philadelphia 76ers
Philadelphia 76ers. JIMMY BUTLER. D+. <strong>37 mins | 10 pts | 3 reb | 5 ast | 0 stl | 0 blk | 2 TO | 4-12 FG | 0-3 3PT| 2-4 FT | 2 PF | -23 |</strong><p>Butler had the initial assignment on Kawhi Leonard, but that backfired. Leonard was bigger, quicker and more precise all game long, constantly beating Jimmy in isolation. Butler is still a good defender when locked in, but it’s evident Kawhi isn’t his best matchup moving forward. Butler was also quiet on offense, not really asserting himself in the game.</p>. SF
<strong>32 mins | 17 pts | 2 reb | 2 ast | 0 stl | 1 blk | 2 TO | 6-13 FG | 5-12 3PT| 0-0 FT | 4 PF | -6 |</strong><p>Redick missed all four three-point attempts and failed to score in the first half. Then, with the Sixers in desperate need of a spark, Redick drilled five triples in the third quarter. He helped keep the game close for a brief stint after halftime, which is more than most of the rotation did.</p>. SG. Philadelphia 76ers. J.J. REDICK. B-
Philadelphia 76ers. JAMES ENNIS III. B. <strong>20 mins | 11 pts | 1 reb | 1 ast | 0 stl | 0 blk | 1 TO | 4-5 FG | 1-2 3PT| 1-2 FT | 1 PF | -18 |</strong><p>With Mike Scott out, the Sixers needed <a rel=. SF
Moving forward, the Sixers need to improve the scheme when it comes to defending Kawhi and Siakam. Brett Brown would be wise to align Simmons’ minutes with Leonard’s, making him the primary defender in Toronto’s best player. Let Butler chase Kyle Lowry on the perimeter.
When it comes to Siakam, the Sixers need Tobias Harris to step up. It also helps to get back in transition, as Siakam thrives when running the court and getting behind defenses on the fast break.
If the Sixers can slow Kawhi and Siakam to more moderate greatness, Game 2 should be a lot closer. It would also help if Mike Scott returns to action soon, though the walking boot on his foot isn’t a great sign.
Next. Series predictions for Sixers-Raptors. dark
The teams will reconvene on Monday at 8 PM E.T.