The Sixers are back in action tonight against the 2nd seeded Toronto Raptors at the Air Canada Centre following their loss to the Detroit Pistons on Friday night. While the final score was 107-95, the game was not as close as that would indicate. Fortunately for the Sixers point guard Kendall Marshall made his season debut, scoring five points on 50 percent shooting along with 6 assists in only 16 minutes of action.
This game comes after an exciting week of front office news, the Sixers announcing hiring longtime USA basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo as Chairman of Basketball Operations, a two year contract extension for coach Brett Brown, and rumblings of hiring former Seven Seconds or Less coach Mike D'Antoni and signing veteran former Sixer Elton Brand.
The Raptors come into tonight's game with a 15-9 record as well as a three game winning streak, however without two of their top players in Jonas Valanciunas and DeMarre Carroll. Valanciunas broke his right hand against the Lakers on Nov. 20 and is expected to be out until the new year. DeMarre Carroll suffered a right knee contusion and is out "indefinitely", but isn't expected to miss much time. The Sixers are still in the hunt for their second win of the season after winning their first against a struggling Lakers squad on Dec. 1.
In the last meeting between these two teams on Nov. 11, the Raptors defeated the Sixers by a score of 119-103. However with the Raptors missing two of their starting frontcourt players the Sixers may have an opportunity to steal a game tonight in Canada.
Projected Lineups:
Sixers:
PG: TJ McConnell
SG: Isaiah Canaan
SF: Robert Covington
PF: Nerlens Noel
C: Jahlil Okafor
Injuries: Joel Embiid (foot), Carl Landry (wrist), Tony Wroten (knee)
Raptors:
PG: Kyle Lowry
SG: DeMar DeRozan
SF: Terrence Ross
PF: Luis Scola
C: Bismack Biyombo
Injuries: Jonas Valanciunas (hand), DeMarre Carroll (knee)
Broadcast Information:
Time: 6pm
Location: Air Canada Centre
TV: CSN
Radio: 97.5 The Fanatic
