PREMIUM
Rogers' *10* TOTAL MASSACRE >> +$30,168 ALL SPORTS RUN!
(NBA) Philadelphia vs. Toronto,
Total: 216.00 | -110.00 Over
Result: Loss
Total: 216.00 | -110.00 Over
Result: Loss
The set-up: The 76ers have preached that fans should "trust the process' but the team needs to deliver "something" this season. Philly lost the team's season-opener 120-115 at Washington on Wednmesdya and last night, faltered down the stretch in a 102-92 home loss to the Boston Celtics, falling to 0-2 on the young season. The 76ers will visit Toronto on Saturday, in search of their first win. Toronto's All-Star DeMar DeRozan had a poor season-debut for the Raptors (11 points on 2-of-9 shooting) but center Jonas Valanciunas had 23 points and 15 rebounds in Thursday's 117-100 win over Chicago.
Philadelphia:"We let one go," Sixers head coach Brett Brown said about Friday's game. "We were up (nine), I think, in the third period and you felt like with a few more baskets that they might have gone away. I give the Celtics credit, but I really feel like we let one slip." Inconsistency was an issue for Philadelphia on Friday, with veteran starters Jerryd Bayless and J.J. Redick combining to make 8-of-13 three-pointers with zero turnovers while most of the young stars struggled to keep up. Embiid, Simmons, top pick Markelle Fultz and reserve forward Dario Saric shot a collective 30.4 percent from the floor, missing all 10 of their their-point attempts and turned the ball over 13 times. Embiid struggled with just 11 points on 4-of-16 shooting, including 0-for-6 from three-point range.
Toronto: DeRozan was 'off' in Wednesday's opener and PG Kyle Lowry was hardly a major factor, either (12 points, four rebounds and nine assists). Toronto basically rode its second unit to victory, particularly forward C.J. Miles (22 points) and guard Delon Wright (13). "It gives them a good identity with the second unit," coach Dwane Casey told reporters. "And that's what we want to do is develop those guys and make sure they establish that and maintain it." The Raptors are trying to develop a more free-flowing, ball-moving offense with more emphasis on taking three-pointers. Miles, OG Anunoby, Fred VanVleet, Jakob Poeltl and Delon Wright provided a big spark coming off the bench. They produced a 15-0 run early in the second quarter that gave Toronto a 17-point lead.
The pick: The good news for Philly is that after missing all of last season, the No. 1 overall pick of the draft two year ago, Ben Simmons, had 11 points, 11 rebounds and five assists on Friday, becoming the first rookie in 76ers franchise history to start his career with back-to-back double-doubles and the 11th rookie in NBA history to do so. "It's a learning experience for us with a lot of young guys, but we have to capitalize, especially in the third quarter after we come back out," Simmons said. Big man Jahlil Okafor (illness) has yet to see any action this season but is expected to get some minutes Saturday night with Embiid sidelined, as he will sit this one out as the team continues to monitor his workload following multiple lower-body injuries in his brief NBA career. The The Raptors have dominated the 76ers recently, having won 15 of the last 16 meetings and nine in a row at home. "The Process" may not get a win here, either, but my best bet is a 10* on the Under.
Philadelphia:"We let one go," Sixers head coach Brett Brown said about Friday's game. "We were up (nine), I think, in the third period and you felt like with a few more baskets that they might have gone away. I give the Celtics credit, but I really feel like we let one slip." Inconsistency was an issue for Philadelphia on Friday, with veteran starters Jerryd Bayless and J.J. Redick combining to make 8-of-13 three-pointers with zero turnovers while most of the young stars struggled to keep up. Embiid, Simmons, top pick Markelle Fultz and reserve forward Dario Saric shot a collective 30.4 percent from the floor, missing all 10 of their their-point attempts and turned the ball over 13 times. Embiid struggled with just 11 points on 4-of-16 shooting, including 0-for-6 from three-point range.
Toronto: DeRozan was 'off' in Wednesday's opener and PG Kyle Lowry was hardly a major factor, either (12 points, four rebounds and nine assists). Toronto basically rode its second unit to victory, particularly forward C.J. Miles (22 points) and guard Delon Wright (13). "It gives them a good identity with the second unit," coach Dwane Casey told reporters. "And that's what we want to do is develop those guys and make sure they establish that and maintain it." The Raptors are trying to develop a more free-flowing, ball-moving offense with more emphasis on taking three-pointers. Miles, OG Anunoby, Fred VanVleet, Jakob Poeltl and Delon Wright provided a big spark coming off the bench. They produced a 15-0 run early in the second quarter that gave Toronto a 17-point lead.
The pick: The good news for Philly is that after missing all of last season, the No. 1 overall pick of the draft two year ago, Ben Simmons, had 11 points, 11 rebounds and five assists on Friday, becoming the first rookie in 76ers franchise history to start his career with back-to-back double-doubles and the 11th rookie in NBA history to do so. "It's a learning experience for us with a lot of young guys, but we have to capitalize, especially in the third quarter after we come back out," Simmons said. Big man Jahlil Okafor (illness) has yet to see any action this season but is expected to get some minutes Saturday night with Embiid sidelined, as he will sit this one out as the team continues to monitor his workload following multiple lower-body injuries in his brief NBA career. The The Raptors have dominated the 76ers recently, having won 15 of the last 16 meetings and nine in a row at home. "The Process" may not get a win here, either, but my best bet is a 10* on the Under.
