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The Toronto Raptors have made things interesting in the opening round of the 2022 NBA playoffs against the Philadelphia 76ers. After going down 3-0 in the series, the Raptors have won the last two contests to force a Game 6.
With Joel Embiid continuing to suffer from an ongoing thumb injury, anything can happen in the series. We'll take a look at 3 bold predictions for the Raptors' Game 6 against the Sixers.
Toronto Raptors 3 Bold Predictions for Game 6 vs. Philadelphia 76ers
Fred VanVleet returns and scores 20+
This is bold for multiple reasons. First off, Fred VanVleet's left hip injury left him out of Game 5. His status remains unclear for Game 6 to begin with. A return though would be massive for the Raptors for obvious reasons, even if he's not at full health. VanVleet's presence is crucial for his Toronto side on both ends of the floor. He's become a very good defender in the NBA, as he can help slow down the likes of James Harden and Tyrese Maxey.
Offensively, his numbers this season led to his first career All-Star appearance. Things haven't gone quite as well in the playoffs so far though. In three fully healthy games, it's been mixed results for VanVleet. While he's averaged 16.7 points, he's been largely inefficient. His 35.4% shooting is nearly a 5% drop from his regular season averages. If he does return, look for him to brush off his injury and score 20+ points. The Raptors need him to be effective in order to continue the series.
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Gary Trent Jr. continues hot streak at home
Gary Trent Jr. has been inconsistent in the five games in the series thus far. He scored just nine points in the first two games total, which included an injury in Game 2 that forced him to leave early. His availability was in question for the rest of the series, but he's responded promptly. Trent scored 24 points in each of the two home games and followed that up with 16 more points in Game 5.
With Game 6 being at home, it favors into the hands of the Raptors. He's averaged 24 points per home contest, while shooting 43.6% from the floor and 100% from the free throw line. In contrary, he's averaged just 8.3 points in the three road contests. Trent's shot 25% in those games, so his performances have played a large role in the success of the Raptors. He'll continue that hot streak at home in Game 6, playing a large part in leading to the next prediction.
Raptors force Game 7
No team in NBA history has come back from down 3-0 to win a playoff series. The Raptors are halfway to doing just that. They head into Thursday's contest as just a 1.5-point underdog, but they have one massive factor in their favor. That is, they're back in Toronto at home. Role players typically play better at home in the playoffs, which should play into the hand of the Raptors in trying to advance to the loser-goes-home Game 7. Case and point with a guy like Precious Achiuwa, who had his best game of the series in the Game 3 loss at home. He had 20 points and six rebounds on 9/11 from the field, and a guy like him will be crucial in Game 6.
The two games across the border were the closest of the series. After a three-point loss in Game 3, the Raptors capitalized on a must-win Game 4 with an eight-point victory. Game 5's 15-point victory came as a surprise for multiple reasons, including Fred Van Vleet being inactive. While his status remains up in the air for Thursday night's game, the Sixers will once again be without one of their key contributors. Matisse Thybulle is not allowed to play due to the requirement of having the Covid-19 vaccine in Canada. while he's averaged just 14 minutes per contest in Philly, it's a key member of their defense that the Sixers will miss.
