Game #31: Philadelphia 76ers 86 - Toronto Raptors 102

[planetmars]

Projected Starters:

Toronto Raptors - JV, Ibaka, OG, DeRozan, Lowry
Philadelphia 76ers - Embiid, Saric, Covington, Bayless, Simmons


Notes:

• This is the second game of a home and home series with the 76ers. On Thursday, the Raptors won in Philadelphia 114-109. DeMar had a career high 45 points.
• Joel Embiid and JJ Redick were both unavailable for Philly. Embiid was probable but still missed that game. He might be ready for the game on Saturday. JJ Redick remains doubtful for this second game as well. If Embiid is not available Amir Johnson will most likely start.
• The Raptors are playing their 3rd game in 4 nights.
• The 76ers are now on a 4 game losing streak, and are 2-8 in their last 10.
• The Raptors are on a 5 game winning streak, and are 9-1 in their last 10.
• The Raptors are now sitting 1.5 games from first in the East.

Let's go Raptors!

[rocwell]

Scared of Toronto since 2014.

[G__Deane]

Embiib COULD play but it says here the NBA wants to be sure he can start on Christmas day

[Ebonhawke]

Wizards lose by 35 to the Nets! Oubre was the Wiz' leading scorer with 13. Five Nets exceeded that.

[007]

There's a clear top 3 in the East, followed by a mess of teams from 4 to 9, all separated by one game.

The Sixers are sliding fast, they've got to turn it around quickly or they'll be joining the Nets-Hornets-Magic tier rather than that of the Pistons-Heat-Knicks

[G__Deane]

John Wall gives teammates $600,000 in Rolex watches for Christmas!?!
Generous or could have gone to kids without Christmas presents?

Harden gets 50+ for two straight games and loses both. Loses his cool and gets tossed like a baby .....

NBA morning highlights are so fun these days, so many great teams and players

[G__Deane]

Game day. Game Day!
Everything done for Christmas, the roads are really messy out there, the car is staying put until Christmas Eve church service.

Stay safe everyone.

[S.R.]

There's a clear top 3 in the East, followed by a mess of teams from 4 to 9, all separated by one game.

The Sixers are sliding fast, they've got to turn it around quickly or they'll be joining the Nets-Hornets-Magic tier rather than that of the Pistons-Heat-Knicks

Simmons/Embiid/Fultz are really talented, but the Philly hype train is out of control. Young players don't win in the NBA, Fultz is out, and Embiid is going to be lucky to play 2/3 of the season. So never mind young guys not winning even when they play, Philly's aren't even playing half the time.

Lebron only won 35 games his rookie season, which was an amazing season, barely broke .500 his second season, and Cleveland wasn't a playoff team until his third year. And that's Lebron James.

Embiid is essentially still a rookie, having played only 54 games. It's like everybody just decided "OK, Philly's a playoff team this year" without really thinking about it...

[007]

C.J. Miles will miss his 3rd straight game today (that must have been some dental procedure!), Raptors say. Lucas Nogueira (calf) has been upgraded from out to questionable.

— Josh Lewenberg (@JLew1050) December 23, 2017

[rocwell]

C.J. Miles will miss his 3rd straight game today (that must have been some dental procedure!), Raptors say. Lucas Nogueira (calf) has been upgraded from out to questionable.

— Josh Lewenberg (@JLew1050) December 23, 2017

is he getting new teeth or what, jeez

[golden]

is he getting new teeth or what, jeez

Bruno hooked him up.....

[tDotted]

C.J. Miles will miss his 3rd straight game today (that must have been some dental procedure!), Raptors say. Lucas Nogueira (calf) has been upgraded from out to questionable.

— Josh Lewenberg (@JLew1050) December 23, 2017

Aw man Nogueira's coming back

[Hotshot]

Aw man Nogueira's coming back

My guess is Noguiera will play only if Embiid will play cause our bigs could get into a serious foul trouble.

[Demographic Shift]

Not sure what the travelling circus from Philly has in mind if Embiid is out, questionable, probable, unlikely, might play if he can get through shoot around or we will just flip a coin to see if he goes ...or they stick to the marketing plan and hold him out for his NBA Christmas matinee debut at the Mecca against the Knicks.

If he plays or not hoping the Raps lay an epic beating on the Hinkies so we can hear the spin on how such a “ fun to watch, young team on the rise, with two superstars in the making storyline” got their ass kicked up their throat last game by a non descript team to the north and west of NYC a day ago.

Raps W.

[3inthekeon]

Here's the box score from the 1st Philly game in October. Nogueira was terrific.

http://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore?gameId=400974778