Previewing the five most crucial Toronto Raptors’ games of December
Dec. 22- Toronto Raptors at Philadelphia 76ers
Key matchup: Raptors’ bigs against Joel Embiid
Towards the end of the calendar year, the Raptors will once again face off with one of the leagues’ elite bigs in Joel Embiid. This time, they will face the contending Philadelphia 76ers on the second leg of a back-to-back starting with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
In the teams’ matchup at the beginning of the year, Embiid posted 31 points and 11 rebounds with both marks leading the team. Overall, Embiid’s scoring was tied with Leonard for the top mark in the contest.
Now, with the addition of Jimmy Butler, the 76ers are a more diverse bunch in scoring. Not only can they score from outside with J.J. Reddick, but the 76ers now have the luxury of Butler’s midrange and outside scoring to pair with the driving force of Embiid and Ben Simmons. Once again, the focus should be on Embiid.
A frontrunner for MVP thus far, Embiid tallied a league-leading 22 double-double efforts through the seasons’ first two months. Those totals come alongside a renewed effort from the charity stripe as the big man shot 79.4 percent from the line in that span.
The former Jayhawk averages double-digit trips to the free-throw line, a catalyst to his scoring success. If the Raptors’ bigs can avoid allowing Embiid to get to the line, the chances of him accumulating a high scoring total are muted.
The foul trouble that has resulted from Embiid’s ability to force mistakes by the opposition is something that the Raptors are prepared for. With Ibaka and Valanciunas both capable centers, with each having their own skillset of blocking, the visitors will have a chance at stopping him.
If the game gets into the waning moments with the score close, don’t forget about the closer the 76ers recently acquired: