Sixers vs. Raptors: Storylines, live stream, more for preseason matchup
The Sixers will play in Philadelphia on Thursday night for the first time since losing Game 7 of their Eastern Conference semifinal series last year to the Hawks.
Here are the essentials for the teams second preseason game against the Raptors:
- When: 7 p.m. ET
- Where: Wells Fargo Center
- Broadcast: NBC Sports Philadelphia
- Live stream: NBCSportsPhiladelphia.com and the MyTeams app
And here are three storylines to watch:
Embiid, Harris set to play
Joel Embiid and Tobias Harris will most likely be available, Sixers head coach Doc Rivers said Wednesday after his teams practice. Neither player appeared on the NBAs Wednesday night injury report.
With Harris (right knee soreness) and Embiid (rest) out, not much worked for the Sixers in their preseason opener. They committed 18 turnovers and shot 8 for 34 from three-point range Monday in a blowout loss in Toronto.
In addition to Ben Simmons, whose holdout continues, Grant Riller is out Thursday. Riller, whos one of the Sixers two-way players, suffered a torn meniscus in his left knee. He’ll undergo surgery and be re-evaluated in approximately two weeks, per a team official.
Its just part of life in basketball, Rivers said. Hes upbeat about it but still, hes a young guy trying to make a team. He played well (Monday), and now hes out. Its just one of the tough blows you have. We like him a lot, I can tell you that.
Matisse Thybulle was listed as questionable with right shoulder soreness.
Needing to switch on
Rivers wants the Sixers to improve their conditioning ahead of the regular season. Hed like a mindset shift, too.
You just improve by doing more running, doing more playing, he said. But I actually thought it was more playing at a higher level of intensity. Theres a difference between getting through practice Ive played for 13 years; I know how to get through a practice and then I knew how to be intense in a practice to get more out of it. And I thought that was part of it, as well.
The Sixers held a film session before hitting the floor Wednesday, with transition defense lapses from the preseason opener among the points covered. That was a problem throughout last season.
I think overall, we were not focused enough as a team, Furkan Korkmaz said. We just took it like a preseason game, which we shouldnt have that mentality, because every game is important right now. We need to get in (better) shape. Defensively, transition is huge. I think weve got to get better at transition. Like I said, its preseason still. We are still figuring out playing with each other.
Weve got to get him on the floor more
Andre Drummond and Isaiah Joe were two bright spots from the loss at Scotiabank Arena.
Joe scored 18 points on 5-for-9 shooting (4 for 8 from long distance) and had three steals and three rebounds. He accumulated a good chunk of those numbers in garbage time, but that doesnt negate a nice showing by the second-year sharpshooter.
More of the same would further boost Joes stock, even if theres no obvious opening in the Sixers rotation.
Hes been good, Rivers said. Weve got to get him on the floor more, is what I keep telling our coaches, because those 10 guys are playing so much. Isaiah did a good job today and I told him, I dont care what unit youre on. But hes got to get on the floor more, and I thought today he did a good job.”
Joes impression is that hes most definitely fighting for minutes, but he feels comfortable with his job description.
My role is to come in, knock down shots and play defense, he said. Eliminate turnovers and straight-line drives. Thats one thing Ive really been working on during this offseason.
Regardless of where Joe stands now, he looks destined for regular-season opportunities at some stage this season. He got his first crack as a rookie when the Sixers were shorthanded due to COVID-19 protocols, playing 45 minutes for a seven-man squad in a Jan. 9 loss to the Nuggets.
