Philadelphia 76ers vs Toronto Raptors Prediction & Match Preview - October 4th, 2021 | NBA Preseason 2021-22
The Philadelphia 76ers, still reeling with Ben Simmons' exit, will commence their NBA preseason campaign against the Toronto Raptors on Monday. They are expected to decide on Simmons' future in the coming days after falling to the Atlanta Hawks in the NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals last season.
A new-look roster without Joel Embiid is expected to take on the Toronto Raptors, who have made many moves and have a promising young roster to count on. OG Anunoby and Fred VanVleet are expected to feature in the starting 5 on Tuesday.
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Match Details
Fixture – Philadelphia 76ers vs Toronto Raptors | NBA Preseason 2021-22.
Date & Time - Monday, October 4th, 7 PM ET (Tuesday, October 5th, 5:30 AM IST).
Venue – Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, Ontario.
Philadelphia 76ers Preview
Seth Curry, Danny Green and Tobias Harris are all expected to feature in the opening preseason game against the Raptors.
Andre Drummond, expected to be Joel Embiid' understudy for the season, should also be available to start at center. Meanwhile, Tyrese Maxey and Embiid are expected to be fit by the time the 76ers take on the Raptors for the second time in the preseason.
The Philadelphia 76ers still look short of a shooter or two despite renewing both Korkmaz and Shake Milton's contracts. Milton came under criticism for a lack of consistency, especially during the playoffs.
Key Player – Seth Curry
Seth Curry could be expected to have a field day against the Raptors, considering their lack of perimeter defenders.
Curry is coming off his best season in recent years, averaging 12.5 points while shooting at a healthy 45% from the three-point zone. The Toronto Raptors have an unsettled squad with a number of roster spots up for grabs. With both Pascal Siakam and Gary Trent Jr. not expected to feature, Seth Curry could get a lot of free shots in the preseason game.
Charles Bassey will not travel with the 76ers for their preseason opener in Toronto tomorrow, per team official, as the team finalizes his work visa. Bassey is not expected to miss any further time because of the issue.
Philadelphia 76ers Predicted Lineup
Point Guard – Shake Milton | Shooting Guard – Seth Curry | Small Forward – Danny Green | Power Forward – Tobias Harris | Center – Andre Drummond.
Toronto Raptors Preview
The Toronto Raptors have many roster decisions to make, with six players - Yuta Watanabe; Freddie Gillespie; Sam Dekker; Isaac Bonga; Reggie Perry and Ishmail Wainright - vying for three roster spots. Gillespie is rumored to be almost a certainty in the roster, considering the team's overall needs.
Raptors preseason schedule:
Oct. 4, 76ers @ Raptors
Oct. 7, Raptors @ 76ers
Oct. 9, Raptors @ Celtics
Oct. 11, Rockets @ Raptors
Oct. 12, Raptors @ Wizards
Oct. 20 is season opener. Camp opens Sep. 27 (likely in Toronto, where both preseason home games are scheduled).
Fred VanVleet is expected to have a breakthrough season, while OG Anunoby has also been hugely impressive till now. Malachi Flynn and Scottie Barnes could both be expected to feature heavily, while OG Anunoby might find himself at the center position for this game.
Key Player – Fred VanVleet
Fred VanVleet's second injury-affected season was one of the prime reasons why the Raptors fell out of the playoff race.
Now, with a new-look roster featuring multiple young stars, including Siakam, OG Anunoby and Gary Trent Jr., the Raptors can be expected to make a concerted effort to reach the postseason. Fred VanVleet has reportedly worked his way back to full fitness, and is largely expected to make heads turn in the coming season.
76ers vs Raptors Match Prediction
Both teams have many stars unavailable for this preseason game. However, the Toronto Raptors do not have a recognizable center fit, and might struggle to hold off the Philadelphia 76ers' attack missing Simmons and Joel Embiid. The Philadelphia 76ers can be expected to be the marginal favorites to win this game.
Where to watch the 76ers vs Raptors game?
The Philadelphia 76ers vs Toronto Raptors game will have local coverage on NBC Sports Philadelphia. The game can also be streamed with an NBA League Pass account.
Also check out: Complete NBA Preseason TV Schedule for 2021