The Western Conference Playoffs are still in the first round, but the Eastern Conference has waited long enough and will kick off its conference semifinals this weekend when the Toronto Raptors host the Philadelphia 76ers. These teams overcame Game 1 losses to win the next four games in their first round series, brushing aside weaker opponents after detractors criticized them for dropping the first game. Toronto won three of the four meetings between these teams in the regular season, and the Raptors are moderate favorites to win this series.
This game will take place at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Canada. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET on April 27, 2019, and the game will be broadcast on TNT.
NBA Opening Lines at BookMaker.eu
Toronto Raptors -5.5 vs. Philadelphia 76ers, O/U 222.5
Injury Report
Mike Scott is a game time decision for the 76ers on Saturday night. Scott suffered a heel injury, and Brett Brown is assuming that he will be unable to go in Game 1. The big man has been used often in the playoffs, averaging over 23 MPG, so Brown will have to adjust his rotation without him in the lineup.
OG Anunoby is likely to miss this entire series after being diagnosed with acute appendicitis two weeks ago, and Toronto will miss one of its backcourt rotation players. Chris Boucher has yet to play in the postseason due to back spasms, and he is a game time decision on Saturday.
Matchup to Watch
The big question coming into this series is whether or not Toronto can stop Joel Embiid. Embiid is integral to Philadelphia’s hopes of winning the series, as the big man can take over in the low post. He opens things up all over the floor when he is on, and he averaged over a point a minute in the first round despite playing just 24 MPG.
Marc Gasol and Serge Ibaka will be the two big men tasked with guarding Embiid, and the duo did a decent job against him in the regular season. Embiid shot less than 50 percent from the floor in four games against Toronto, and his 11.8 RPG were less than his season average too.
Player to Watch
The obvious player to highlight here would be Kawhi Leonard, but I’m going to go with Pascal Siakam instead. Siakam has been the equivalent of finding loose change in your sofa this year, as he has come out of nowhere to be a real difference maker for the Raptors.
Siakam is second on the team in scoring with 22.6 PPG in the postseason, and his emergence means that Kyle Lowry can take a back seat and not feel as much pressure to score. Siakam sank more than 53 percent of his field goals against Orlando, and he did a good job of cleaning up the glass too. That last part is crucial against a Philadelphia team with size.
Game 1 Preview
Both of these teams are looking for a backcourt player to step up in Game 1. Philadelphia’s Ben Simmons has been maligned for his inability to do much in the half court offense, but he plays good defense and is devastating in the open court. Meanwhile, Lowry is looking to put the Playoff Lowry meme in his past for good after some shaky performances against the Magic in the last round. This is likely to be the underrated battle throughout the series.
Prediction
I’ll lay the points with Toronto in Game 1. I think the Raptors have a big coaching advantage, and this Philadelphia team feels like its missing something. Embiid isn’t fully healthy and won’t be throughout the playoffs, while Toronto has a proven crunch time player in Kawhi.
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