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The CB Staff’s Official Sixers/Raptors Predictions
By Russ Joy
Published:
We’re mere hours away from what should be the most entertaining playoff series in a decade. Here are our predictions for the Sixers/Raptors Eastern Conference Semifinals.
Series MVP
Anthony: Kawhi Leonard
Bob: Kawhi Leonard
Chris: Pascal Siakam
Coggin: Joel Embiid
Craig: Joel Embiid’s knee
Jason: Jimmy Butler
Jeff: Kawhi Leonard. When he’s healthy and hitting shots he’s one of the 5 best players in the league. Just a fucking basketball cyborg.
Kevin: Kawhi Leonard
Kyle: Joel Embiid
Mike: Joel Embiid
Phil: Pascal Siakam
Russ: Kawhi Leonard (Raptors win)/Jimmy Butler (Sixers win)
Series X-Factor
Anthony: Toronto is long and has bench depth. The Sixers are not and don’t.
Bob: Home-court advantage. The Sixers won’t win in Toronto.
Chris: Bench depth
Coggin: Zhaire getting minutes because of Mike Scott’s injury.
Craig: Jimmy Butler being the Jimmy Butler the Sixers traded for.
Jason: Rebounds…..#3 vs. #19
Jeff: Brett Brown (Ben Simmons by proxy) . The only chance the Sixers have is for Brett to figure out how to use Ben as a screener/roller and get him good looks on offense, because I don’t think he’s going to be able to get them himself.
Kevin: Toronto length and defense
Kyle: Tobias Harris
Mike: Surprising effectiveness of Sixers bench
Phil: That feeling when it’s Game 4, it’s 2-1 Toronto in the series, the Sixers are up 5 with 8 minutes left in Game 4 and then that thing happens when Ben and Tobias disappear, Jimmy starts forcing shots and Joel is being doubled.
Russ: Pascal Siakam is the easy pick, but if Toronto wins it could be a tie between Marc Gasol for shutting down Joel Embiid OR Danny Green for shooting the lights out and leaving JJ Redick in the dust. If the Sixers win, it’ll be entirely thanks to Tobias Harris. Remember, Harris played in zero of the regular season matchups. He’ll be replacing Wilson Chandler’s neck tattoos.
What We’ll Be Talking About After The Series
After the jump:
Anthony: Ben and Brett – which is this Spring’s version of Carson and Nick – and yes, it’s still a dumb argument.
Bob: Brett Brown’s job security
Chris: Sixers should’ve gotten Kawhi, bench was awful in big time situations.
Coggin: Joel’s dominance in the series.
Craig: The impact the long series had on Embiid’s knee and whether he can sustain the long minutes the playoffs require (Don’t know how much I believe that. But I want to believe.)
Jason: Brett Brown finally gets it right…
Jeff: This series, fairly or unfairly, will be a referendum on Brett and, again, Ben by proxy.
Kevin: Ben Simmons
Kyle: [no response]
Mike: Rooting for the Celtics to finish of the Bucks so Sixers get home Court for next round. (I really don’t believe this but someone’s gotta pick the Sixers.)
Phil: Whether Brett Brown is allowed back in the building to retrieve his personal effects or whether they’ll be shipped to him.
Russ: This series will come down to in-game adjustments, something that Brett Brown has struggled with to be sure. Nick Nurse will need to adjust his second quarter rotation to match Brown’s propensity for getting his starters in against the opposing team’s bench. If the Sixers win, it’s going to be pandemonium. We’ll hear all about how the Sixers match up with the Warriors Rockets in the NBA Finals.
Series Prediction
Anthony: Raptors in 6
Bob: Raptors in 7
Chris: Raptors in 6
Coggin: Sixers in 7
Craig: Sixers in 7
Jason: Sixers in 6
Jeff: I had a dream last night the Sixers were down 90-37 at halftime (true story). I think my subconscious is telling me something. I was heartened by how this team bounced back and took care of business against the Nets after that God awful Game 1 but I just don’t think they can beat Toronto. This is a matchup league and the matchup for the Sixers in this series is about as bad as it gets. I think they’re competitive and I think Brett is back next year, but I’m going with Toronto in 6
Kevin: Raptors in 6
Kyle: Sixers in 7
Mike: Sixers in 6
Phil: Raptors in 5
Russ: Raptors in 7. I want to be wrong. The Raptors could finish this off in five games if they fire on all cylinders. My hopeful view is that the Sixers can steal one of the first two games like Orlando did, defend homecourt and stretch this to six or seven games. The Sixers will need near flawless execution from their coach’s rotations, to Jimmy Butler’s lockdown defense, to Tobias Harris not getting lost in the offense, to Joel Embiid overcoming a tough matchup with Marc Gasol. There’s also the question of how Ben Simmons will adjust in his fourth career playoff series. Will he finally let loose from three? If the Sixers win the series, they’ll make the NBA Finals riding the confidence from this series to slay their demons in Boston or shut down every Buck not named Giannis.
Russ Joy is a commercial editor for XLMedia PLC, co-host of Snow The Goalie: A Flyers Podcast and It's Just Wrestling Podcast, and a Philadelphia Flyers writer for CrossingBroad.com. A graduate of West Chester University of PA and California University of PA, Russ is also a husband and father of four. Follow him on Twitter: @JoyOnBroad Email: russell.joy@xlmedia.com