The fourth-seeded Philadelphia 76ers are set to begin the 2022 NBA Playoffs with a first-round matchup against the fifth-seeded Toronto Raptors in the Eastern Conference. After engaging in a blockbuster trade midway through the season, many have already set high expectations for the Sixers to be strong contenders for the title in 2021-22.
However, James Harden's recent on-court struggles will only make it harder for Philadelphia in their bid to eliminate a gritty Toronto side that is expected to put up a good fight in this matchup. Nonetheless, the 76ers remain to be the favorites in this series but they will surely face an uphill battle in their bid to eliminate the Raptors and advance to the next round.
Let's take a look at four bold predictions for the Sixers against the Raptors in the first round of the 2022 NBA Playoffs.
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4 bold predictions for the Sixers in the first round against the Raptors
4. James Harden will be bothered by Raptors defenders all series long.
Despite his recent on-court struggles, James Harden will still get his fair share of opportunities as the focal point of the Sixers' backcourt attack. However, he will have a tough time, particularly in this series against the Raptors as they have a bevy of more athletic defenders who can put the clamps on the former MVP.
Scottie Barnes, OG Anunoby, and Thaddeus Young are all lengthy wingmen who can match up against a shorter and less athletic Harden on the floor. Moreover, another versatile player in Pascal Siakam can also get switched to defend Harden in certain situations which will certainly make life harder for the Sixers star all series long.
Without a doubt, Harden can still attract the attention of the defense even when he's struggling to score the ball. With that said, his backcourt partner in Tyrese Maxey must make sure that he can make plays when the opposing defenders are putting all their focus on containing the 10-time All-Star on the floor.
If both playmakers get to be effective and find a way around defenders all series long then the 76ers have a strong chance of advancing to the next round.
3. Danny Green will step up amid Matisse Thybulle's absence during road games.
A major debacle that hit the Sixers was when Matisse Thybulle was deemed ineligible to play in their road games in Toronto due to his unvaccinated status. The Australian swingman has been the 76ers' most reliable defender who averaged career-highs of 1.7 steals and 1.1 blocks in the 2021-22 season.
Amid his absence, another known defender in Danny Green is expected to step up and fill in the spot that will be left by Thybulle. It hasn't been exactly a good season for the veteran swingman as he only saw 21.8 minutes of action in the regular season — his lowest since 2010-11. With that, Green is also averaging measly numbers of 5.9 points on 38% shooting from beyond the arc, per Basketball-Reference.
On defense, though, the three-time champion has produced 1.0 steals and 0.6 blocks per game in 62 appearances. He may not be the Danny Green of old but his defensive prowess and basketball I.Q. are still there and can be put to good use, especially in the playoffs.
At the end of the day, his contributions will surely help in stopping opposing guards like Fred VanVleet and Gary Trent Jr. Hopefully, Danny Green can deliver the goods once he gets more opportunities to play on the floor amid Thybulle's absence.
2. The 76ers will feed Embiid at the post for the majority of the series.
With Harden struggling, it is a no-brainer for the Sixers to go to their star big man in Joel Embiid who has put up an MVP-caliber campaign this season. Consistently feeding him in the post will not only ensure high-percentage shots but will also open up spots for their shooters for kick-out situations. It also makes sense for them to maximize his presence down low since the Raptors only have a short frontcourt unit without any player going over 6-foot-9.
Ultimately, Embiid's level of production will dictate how Philly will fare against the Raptors, and for the remainder of their postseason campaign as well. Philadelphia will just have to hope that the five-time All-Star can sustain his momentum and stay in the pink of health for the rest of the 2022 NBA Playoffs.
1. Philadelphia will win in seven games.
At first glance, the Sixers are certainly the more talented team headlined by the duo of James Harden and Joel Embiid. However, Harden's recent struggles and Matisse Thybulle's absence in road games can have major implications on the team in their first-round matchup.
Despite the challenges, the 76ers are still more equipped to outlast the Raptors who are playing with a shaky offense as of late. However, their defense might just make this series tighter than expected. Still, Doc Rivers and his men are in a better position and have a good chance of closing Toronto out in seven games to advance to the next round.
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