With the NBA trade deadline just three days away, the Philadelphia 76ers—who are expected to be major players—will play in their biggest game of the season, to date, on Tuesday night at the Wells Fargo Center against Kawhi Leonard and the Raptors (8pm. on TNT).
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Season Series: Raptors Lead 2-1
The Sixers are 1-2 against the Raptors this season.
- The first loss was the eighth game of the season, in Toronto, before Philly acquired Jimmy Butler.
- The second meeting, with Butler, was an 11-point loss in Toronto, but a much closer game.
- The third game between these two teams was in Philly, and the Sixers beat a Leonard-less Raptors team by 25 points.
Tonight, the Sixers will be without Wilson Chandler. Raptors point guard and Philly native Kyle Lowry was originally listed as doubtful with a back injury, but says he will play. It is the fourth and final *regular season* contest between these two teams.
Standings
Toronto is 38-16, just 2.0 games back of the Bucks for the No. 1 seed in the East with 28 games to play.
Philadelphia is 34-19, tied with the Celtics for the No. 3 seed in the East, 3.5 games back of the Raptors for the No. 2 seed, with 29 games to play.
The Raptors have lost three of their last five, opening the door a drop for the Sixers and Celtics to sniff that two seed. The No. 2 seed is huge, as it gives you home-court advantage in the first two rounds of the postseason.
Impact of tonight's result
This game is particularly huge for Philly because a win would move them within 2.5 games of Toronto for the No. 2 seed in the East, with less than 30 to play. A loss, however, would put them 4.5 games back of the Raptors and likely a game behind the Celtics (who play the lowly Cavs tonight).
At the risk of exaggerating the importance of one of 82, a loss would make it extremely difficult for Philly to finish as a top two seed in the East, as Toronto and Milwaukee have relatively easy schedules the rest of the way. And with Victor Oladipo out for the season, it doesn't seem likely the No. 5 seeded Pacers—7.0 games ahead of the Nets—will move up, almost certainly locking the Sixers into the three or four seed. There's not much difference between No. 3 or No. 4 in the East, as both spots will force Philly to win a demanding road series in the semi-finals, either at Toronto, Milwaukee, or maybe Boston.
Therefore, a loss will allow Philadelphia to at least consider resting some of their starters—especially Joel Embiid—down the stretch in certain situations, gearing them up for an uptick in minutes during the playoffs.
Prediction
Having said all of that, I think the Sixers get a big win tonight. The Sixers opened as 4.5 point favorites with Lowry expected to sit, but the line has sinced moved to Philly -2.5 with news that he will play now.
Toronto is beginning a three-game road trip tonight, after two straight homes. They are playing on just one day of rest, while Philadelphia is back home after their 2-2 road stand off of two days of rest.
Philly is 21-5 at home this season (14-12 against the spread), while Toronto is 16-11 on the road (10-16-1 ATS).
