The Toronto Raptors avoided elimination and getting swept in Game 4 against the Philadelphia 76ers and then they did so again, winning Game 5 on the road in Philadelphia.
Can Toronto do so one more time in Game 6 on Thursday to force a decisive Game 7 after trailing 0-3 in this series?
The fight and resilience Nick Nurse’s squad has shown in this series has been very inspiring and Game 5’s victory has seemed to swing the momentum in favor of the Raptors.
Going into Philadelphia and winning 103-88 was impressive not only because they held the Sixers to 88 points, but because the Raptors won without All-Star Fred VanVleet, who was sidelined due to a hip injury.
Toronto stepped up defensively without VanVleet being on the floor and Pascal Siakam was key in this game, finishing with 23 points, 10 rebounds and 7 assists.
Joel Embiid has struggled since the news of his thumb injury came out, James Harden has struggled all series long and after scoring a combined 61 points in Games 1 and 2, Tyrese Maxey has only scored a combined 42 points the last three games.
Is Philadelphia on the verge of complete collapse in this series or will they put all of this talk behind them with a win in Game 6?
Here’s how to watch Thursday’s game, with gametimes and TV, lineups, bios and other must-know details.
How to watch 76ers vs. Raptors
WHO: Philadelphia 76ers (3-2) vs. Toronto Raptors (2-3)
WHAT: First Round Eastern Conference Playoffs – Game 6 (76ers lead 3-2)
WHEN: 7:00 p.m. ET, Thursday, April 28
WHERE: Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, Ontario
TV: NBA TV
Stream: Fubo.tv CLICK HERE
Key Stats & Facts For 76ers vs. Raptors
The Raptors and 76ers faced off four times during the regular season with Toronto winning three games by an average of 5.3 points.
The 76ers finished the regular season ranking eighth in points allowed per game (107.3), while the Raptors finished the regular season ranking seventh in points allowed per game (107.1).
Toronto is 25-18 at home this season, Philadelphia is 28-15 on the road, including the postseason.
Since the trade deadline (February 10), the Philadelphia 76ers lead the league in free-throws made and attempted per game.
What Happened In Game 5?
April 23, 2022 – Raptors 103, 76ers 88
The Toronto Raptors kept their season alive once again in Game 5, holding the 76ers to just 88 points. The last time Philadelphia was held to 88 or less points was on March 20 to none other than the Raptors. Pascal Siakam led the way offensively for Toronto in this one, scoring 23 points and also adding 10 rebounds, 7 assists to his name as well. As a team, the Sixers shot just 38.3% from the floor and 27% from three-point range.
Key Stats From Game 5:
The 76ers shot 10-37 (27%) from the three-point line, as the Raptors shot 8-31 (25.8%) from deep.
The Raptors turned the ball over 9 times, resulting in 9 points for the 76ers. Philadelphia turned the ball over 16 times, resulting in 20 points for Toronto.
Philadelphia recorded 21 assists on a total of 31 made shots (67.7%), whereas Toronto recorded 24 assists on 42 made shots (57.1%).
Latest Injury News:
Raptors: Fred VanVleet (hip) – DOUBTFUL, Thaddeus Young (thumb) – AVAILABLE
76ers: Charles Bassey (shoulder) – OUT, Matisse Thybulle (Ineligible) – OUT, Joel Embiid (Thumb) – AVAILABLE
Projected Starters:
PROJECTED RAPTORS STARTERS:
G Gary Trent Jr., 6-5 guard: 18.3 points, 2.7 rebounds
F OG Anunoby, 6-7 forward: 17.1 points, 5.5 rebounds
C Khem Birch, 6-9 center: 4.5 points, 4.3 rebounds
PROJECTED SIXERS STARTERS:
G James Harden, 6-5 guard: 22.0 points, 7.7 rebounds, 10.3 assists
G Tyrese Maxey, 6-2 guard: 17.5 points, 4.3 assists
G/F Danny Green, 6-6 guard/forward: 5.9 points, 2.5 rebounds
F Tobias Harris, 6-8 forward: 17.2 points, 6.8 rebounds
C Joel Embiid, 7-0 center: 30.6 points, 11.7 rebounds
Betting Odds:
The 76ers are currently 1.5-point favorites over the Raptors as of Wednesday night according to Fanduel.com.
The over/under for this matchup is currently set at 210 total points.
What to watch for:
The Philadelphia 76ers have made the playoffs for five consecutive seasons, but they have not been to the Eastern Conference Finals since 2001.
Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid became the first center since Shaquille O’Neal (1999-00) to lead the league in scoring at 30.6 points per game.
Toronto is 34-5 this season when they score at least 110 points, Philadelphia is 40-6, including the postseason.
The 76ers are 10-9 all-time in the playoffs against the Raptors, including this series.
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