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In one corner we have a team expected to lose around seventy-five percent of its games and currently without three members of the anticipated starting lineup. On the other end we have a squad from up north that is predicted to be at the top of the Atlantic Division when all eighty-two games are in the books. Now combine the two together, wait for a virgin to light the candle, and you have yourself a showdown between two teams with an aggregate ten game losing streak. Basketball!
After starting out the young season with five consecutive wins, the Toronto Raptors have dropped three straight, all to fellow eastern conference foes. Tonight's game against the Sixers is the second leg of a back to back of which started out with a #LeaguePassAlert close finish against the New York Knicks last night. While that is certainly to the Sixers' advantage, the Raptors are no slouches when it comes to closing out the second game of a back-to-back on the road. Just ask Kevin Durant and the Oklahoma City Thunder.
While the Raptors are looking for a victory to keep their spot atop the division, the Sixers want one just to get a number other than the default Tiwtter egg in the win column. This quest may have to be done without the services of second year flat top Nerlens Noel as his status for tonight is up in the air because of a wrist injury that also kept him sidelined against the Bulls.
With the possible loss of Noel and continued absence of Robert Covington, Kendall Marshall and Tony Wroten, the Sixers will have their hands full in the point generation department yet again. Monday's game against the Bulls featured rookie Jahlil Okafor attempting twenty-five field goals and I wouldn't be surprised if he was around that number again tonight.
The last time I went to a Sixers game against the Raptors, I was lucky enough to witness the first career three-pointer made by the legendary Lorenzo Brown. While I'm not attending the game tonight, I do expect another monumental occasion to take place. I'm willing to accept the first Sixer win of the year as that something.
Liberty Ballers In Memoriam:
Amir Johnson, Toronto Raptors forward - may you forever be a part of what felt like everybody's fantasy basketball team for the past 25 years, even though you're only 28 years old.