The Philadelphia 76ers are set to take on the Toronto Raptors in the first round of the 2022 NBA Playoffs. Philadelphia plays host Saturday night at the Wells Fargo Center in their first postseason matchup, tip-off scheduled for 6 p.m.
Despite many other close matchups in the postseason tournament, this is arguably the biggest toss-up. Why? The Sixers will have to play without their top defender in Matisse Thybulle when they play in Toronto. Thybulle is not fully vaccinated against COVID-19, making him ineligible to travel to Canada.
The Sixers also fell to the Raptors in their final regular-season meeting just last week. Toronto picked up the 119-114 win, marking their third and final win against the Sixers of the season.
To wrap it up, the Sixers went 1-3 against the Raptors in the regular season and also shorthanded defensively in the postseason matchup. All of these facts make it seem as though the Sixers are destined to lose. However, there are three reasons why that isn't going to happen.
1. MVP candidate Joel Embiid
The Sixers' season would be long gone if it weren't for Joel Embiid. The big man is one of the top candidates for this year's regular-season MVP award and won the NBA scoring title. Embiid averaged a double-double all season with 30.6 points, 4.2 assists, and 11.7 rebounds a game.
Besides his absence at the beginning of the season due to COVID-19, Embiid has stayed relatively healthy. This allowed him to continue to lead his team to a postseason run, and he shows no signs of slowing down. Embiid is bound to put up even more historic numbers as the Sixers' season extends. His competitiveness will ultimately set the Sixers above their first-round opponents.
2. The momentum of “The Process”
The main reason for Embiid's aggressive desire to win is his involvement in “The Process.” The Sixers drafted Embiid third overall in the 2014 NBA Draft. After years of injuries, Philadelphia ultimately centered their rebuild, also known as “The Process,” around him.
The star center has spent many years putting up record numbers in attempts to bring an NBA title to Philadelphia. He's seen teammates come and go, but nothing has stopped him from playing to his highest potential.
Fortunately, his teammates feel the same way and share that drive to finish what he started. This current Sixers team has a great chance to get the job done, and this fact will drive them to their first-round series victory.
3. Rising Star Tyrese Maxey
While he wasn't a part of the Sixers' original rebuild through the mid to late 2010s, Tyrese Maxey has quickly become a huge part of “The Process.” Just 21-years-old, Maxey is dominating in his second season in Philadelphia. The point guard averages 17.5 points, 4.3 assists, and 3.2 rebounds each game.
However, his impact on the court goes beyond numerical statistics. Since Maxey joined the squad in 2020, he hasn't been afraid to make himself known. Every chance he gets, Maxey stuns his opponents with his remarkable speed, with or without the ball. His ability to perform in high-stakes situations will be a crucial part of the Sixers' postseason success against the Raptors.
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