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After making easy work of the Brooklyn Nets in the first round, The Philadelphia 76ers are now in an all-out battle against the Toronto Raptors in the second round. Following the Sixers' 108-95 defeat in Game 1, there will be a lot riding in Game 2, as there will be the rest of the way for the entire franchise.
Sixers star Jimmy Butler hit the nail on the head with a very straightforward, yet completely accurate statement:
“The heat,” Butler acknowledges, via Jackie MacMullan of ESPN “is on.”
Butler and company will want to win Game 2, as they hope to tie the series before it shifts to Philadelphia for Games 3 and 4.
For his part, Butler is definitely going to want to bounce back from a forgettable Game 1 performance, as the 29-year-old accounted for only 10 points (on 4-of-12 shooting), three rebounds, five assists, and two turnovers in the loss.
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More importantly, with the expectations so high on the Sixers this season, a second-round exit at the hands of Toronto will definitely prove to be an underachievement on their end.
Philadelphia totally went for it this season, signing Butler and Tobias Harris via trade — with both guys set to become unrestricted free agents in the summer — so anything less than a trip to the Eastern Conference Finals might spell trouble for the franchise.
It's important not to look too far ahead, though, as there is a dire need to focus on the task at hand.
And at the moment, this comes in the form of Raptors superstar Kawhi Leonard, who the Sixers will need to try and stop in Game 2.
