The Toronto Raptors have to feel good about their chances to contend in the wide-open Eastern Conference, as their white-hot run following a 2-8 start has them as the No. 6 seed in the East. With consecutive wins over Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks, Toronto has all the momentum in the world.
The Raptors switched up their lineup, choosing to move much-maligned big man Aron Baynes to the bench in favor of starting OG Anunoby at power forward and Pascal Siakam at center. While the lineup worked against a Bucks team that is out of sorts on offense, time will tell if that configuration will work against the Philadelphia 76ers.
Doc Rivers has the 76ers ahead of even the mighty Brooklyn Nets in the Eastern Conference, as he has Joel Embiid playing like an MVP, Ben Simmons once again becoming a triple-double machine, and Tobias Harris shooting the ball at an extremely efficient rate.
The 76ers not only have depth at multiple positions and excellent coaching, but their size might make them an extremely difficult matchup for the Raptors.
The NBA East is weird. Best records in last 18 games (after the #Raptors started 2-8):
— Brad Fay (@SNBradFay) February 17, 2021
Nets 12-6
Raptors 11-7
76ers 11-7
Bucks 10-8
The 76ers’ size will be a problem for the Raptors
Harris comes in at 6-8, Simmons stands as a 6-11, 240-pound point guard, and Embiid is listed at a whopping 7-1. Even backups like Shake Milton and Matisse Thybulle are lanky 6-5 players on the perimeter. While players with their combination of physical gifts and size will be difficult for any team to handle, it could be especially difficult for such a small Raptors lineup.
Their new configuration pumped the 6-10 Baynes out of the lineup. If the 6-1 Lowry starts at point guard, he’ll team with a 6-0 guard in Fred VanVleet and a 6-3 wing scorer in Norman Powell. Does that sound like a combination that can slow down Simmons on defense?
The paint might get even worse. OG Anunoby is an excellent defender, as evidenced by how he shut down Giannis and Khris Middleton, but he’s likely too small to really challenge Embiid. Siakam might give the Raptors a boost on the offensive end, but there are some concerns about a gangly player like him taking on one of the strongest dudes in the NBA in Embiid.
The Raptors need to try to run the 76ers out of the gym and force them to go to a smaller lineup. If Philadelphia gets to dictate the flow and pace of the game, which will feature a heavy dose of Embiid going to work in the low post, things could get ugly for Toronto.