Before The Tip: Sixers @ Raptors, Jan. 22nd

The Toronto Raptors and Philadelphia 76ers square off at Scotiabank Arena on Wednesday night (7 pm EST). Both teams are riding four game winning streaks into tonight’s divisional clash, so something’s gotta give.

The Toronto Raptors hold a one-game lead over the visiting Philadelphia 76ers and will be looking to give themselves a little bit of breathing room Wednesday at Scotiabank Arena when the two Atlantic Division clubs meet. The rival squads have split a pair of prior meetings this season, the most recent meeting resulting in a 114-110 win for the Sixers. The Raptors prevailed 101-96 in the first game.

After “The Shot” put the final nail in Philly’s coffin a year ago, there’s no denying the rivalry between these two clubs is quite ripe. Every game feels like a playoff game, and considering the current makeup of the standings, Wednesday’s game will be no different.

The Sixers are wrapping up a three-game road trip, while Toronto returns to Canada after a two-game stint south of the border, picking up wins in Minnesota and Atlanta, the latter being one of the more bizarre finishes of the season — leading in the fourth quarter by as many as 21 points, Nick Nurse’s ball club nearly allowed the 10-win Hawks to tie the game in the closing minutes, but the Hawks’ comeback ultimately came up just short.

Meanwhile, the Sixers picked up their fourth consecutive win on Monday, taking down the Brooklyn Nets 117-111.

Ben Simmons had a triple-double, finishing with 34 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists. Joel Embiid (finger) did not play and is not expected to be in the lineup on Wednesday. Considering how lost Embiid has looked against Marc Gasol — going scoreless in the first meeting and only putting up 10 points in the grudge match — the big man’s absence may actually benefit the Sixers against Toronto, though, that might be stretching it. Thoughts?

Not The Same Fred

Dare I bring up Fred VanVleet’s series from hell?

Harkon back to last year’s title run, the second round, and if you close your eyes and really focus you can hear Raptors fans (myself included) screaming at the TV, pleading with Nick Nurse to bench Hubie Brown’s Final MVP. Brutal, ineffective, lost, take your pick of descriptor…Fred VanVleet was not getting it done against a Sixers club possessing tremendous length, its collection of long limps posing all sorts of problems for the tough-but-tiny guard.

But last year’s problems are a thing of the past, naturally and VanVleet is a different, more experienced player now, and he won’t be silenced so easily this time around. Last time these two teams met, VanVleet suffered a bruised knee and was forced into an early departure, finishing with two points in 12 minutes, so best believe he’ll be motivated for this pivotal game.

VanVleet has only played two games since missing five with a hamstring injury. His first game back saw VanVleet drop 29 points against the Timberwolves, then, he followed it up with a 20-point performance versus the Hawks. Since returning to the active roster, the Rockford, IL native is 8-12 from beyond the arc, so if the Raptors are to go on to defeat the Sixers and hand them their 17th loss of the season, it’s a safe bet Fred VanVleet will play a key role.

…my oh my, how times have changed from a year ago.

Will “The Storm” Ease Up?

Have we reached the point where it’s cool to casually pencil Norm in for 20+?

Toronto’s choice for Sixth Man Of The Year has been an absolute nightmare for opposing defences since his return from injury, as Powell is averaging 23.6 points in 27 minutes over his last five games. Most recently, Powell scored 27 points, needing only 25 minutes to do so…anytime a player finishes with more points than minutes, it’s cause for celebration.

Against the Sixers, Powell has struggled. He started the first game, playing 28 minutes, but Powell only managed 10 points while going a forgettable 3-11 from the field. In the second game, it was more of the same, as Powell was limited to eight points, finishing a loss with the second-worst net rating on the team (-12). Rondae Hollis-Jefferson was -16.

Much like Fred VanVleet, the version of Powell that’s about to greet the Sixers is not the one they’ve seen in the past; this version is drowning opposing teams with an offensive storm surge we’ve not seen before in the 26-year-old’s career.

Will Powell surpass 20 points for a sixth consecutive time? Should he do so, the Toronto Raptors will likely enjoy a little extra cushion in the standings when they go to sleep Wednesday evening.

Enjoy the game!