The Sixers (5-7) are coming off of a 3-game road trip where they failed to win a game. They return home tonight to face Rudy Gay and the Toronto Raptors (4-7) at the Wells Fargo Center at 7 p.m.
The Raptors are coming off of a 2-game home stand where they gave up both games to their opponents, so both teams are looking to get out of their slumps. Look for them to run their offensive sets through Rudy Gay for most of the game. He is their best offensive weapon right now, despite his shooting percentages, and he is their go-to guy when they need points. They also have DeMar Derozan who is one of the most athletic 2-guards in the league. He knows how to lock it down defensively, and he has also evolved his offensive game to include a nice little jump shot. In terms of big men for the raptors, they have gotten inconsistent play from their front court players. This should actually be an advantage for the Sixers tonight as they should look to get Thad or Spencer going early on.
For the 7-6, they should be getting their rookie sensation Michael Carter-Williams back tonight after missing the last few games with a foot injury. I like his chances tonight against a deep Toronto back court. He will probably see time guarding Kyle Lowry, D.J. Augustin, and maybe even DeMar Derozan. I could even see the Sixers putting MCW at the 2 and having Tony Wroten run the point for extended minutes in this game. Wroten came on and played very well in MCW's absence.
Projected Starting Lineups:
Toronto
PG- Kyle Lowry
SG- DeMar Derozan
SF- Rudy Gay
PF- Amir Johnson
C- Jonas Valanciunas
Philadelphia
PG- Michael Carter-Williams
SG-James Anderson
SF- Evan Turner
PF- Thaddeus Young
C- Spencer Hawes
Prediction
I am excited to see if this energetic Sixers team can score a bunch of points like they have been against this stingy Toronto defense. Unlike years past, I go into each game feeling good about the Sixers' ability to score points. Not that there is one specific player that can score, but as a unit, they get solid production night in and night out. I think the Sixers win tonight, and I think they win handedly and continue to impress the league. Sixers win 105-89.
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