Devon Givens- Sixers at Raptors: Keys To The Game
Through four games of the 2022-23 season, the Philadelphia 76ers have gotten off to a rough start. With losses to the Boston Celtics, Milwaukee Bucks, and the surprising San Antonio Spurs — their record stands at an unexpected 1-3 on this young campaign. They finally collected their first win on Saturday against the visiting Indiana Pacers by a score of 120-106, in the final game of the early three-game homestand. Now they embark on a tough early season four-game road trip beginning in Toronto for two.
While those two games against the Celtics and Bucks were great barometers for this basketball team early on — at least it appeared when the schedule was released in the offseason — after suffering the three losses we now turn our attention to how they will handle life on the road. Here are a few keys to the game for Game 1 against the Toronto Raptors.
- Let’s begin with the defense. The Raptors average 105 points per game so far through four contests, shooting over 40% from beyond, and can definitely get out in transition. Something the Sixers have struggled with in slowing down open floor opportunities for the opposition. With the versatility that the Raptors do have on their roster, the Sixers have to find a way to prevent the fast-paced Raptors from getting easy points. San Antonio and Indiana had success running with pace against Philadelphia… this needs to be a point of emphasis in the game this evening.
- Ball movement. With the team’s success over the last few seasons as a championship contender, they have been one of the best passing teams in the NBA. It’s simple… share the basketball. One of the things that normally stands out in the box score as a positive for Philadelphia are the number of assists on made baskets. Four games in, the 76ers rank 25th in the NBA with only 21 assists per game while the Spurs occupy the top spot in the league with 30 per night. The Sixers need to get back to playing team basketball and not as much individual play — especially against a very active defense like the Toronto Raptors.
- Scotiabank Arena and that Raptors crowd has been tough on the Sixers and most importantly — Joel Embiid. Overall, Toronto is 33-18 in franchise history while hosting Philadelphia. Their last match-up was in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs last season. The Sixers defeated the Raptors in six games of their best-of-seven series. While Embiid has had his share of success in Toronto, that crowd has also gotten under his skin. The big fella needs to stay under control, play within himself, and make smart decisions on the floor. He’s too good to let the other team off the hook. Go out and be his dominant self. Certainly, something to watch for not only tonight, but also on Friday in the second game of this early two-game trip to Canada.
- Find a way to get Tyrese Maxey and Tobias Harris involved in the game plan a little bit more. Their offensive output has been up and down so far this season and head coach Doc Rivers has to find some consistency with those two, getting them into a nice flow within the offense to keep a nice balance for the team. PJ Tucker, just keep doing what you’re doing.
- Finally, the bench. Before Saturday’s victory over the Pacers, the 76ers were outscored by a score of 103 to 34 in bench points. Coming off the Raptors bench will be Chris Boucher, who’s had a lot of success against the 76ers with his unique style of play from both scoring inside and outside with his length. The same can be said for backup big Precious Achuiwa. His activity in Toronto’s victory over the Miami Heat this past weekend was impactful — collecting 10 points and a game-high 22 rebounds in the contest. You must find them and put a body on these players and not allow offensive rebounds for second-chance points.
A good early-season test for the Philadelphia 76ers with two games in Toronto tonight and Friday. Then heading to Chicago for their first meeting of the season on Saturday, the second night of a back-to-back. Let’s see how this team responds beginning this evening.
