NBA Playoffs 2019: Philadelphia 76ers @ Raptors: Game 2 Preview

Updated On Apr 29, 2019 by Ryan Knuppel

Toronto Raptors vs. Philadelphia 76ersWhile neither are the top seed, the Philadelphia 76ers and the Toronto Raptors are going to have a great series.

The Raptors finished the regular season at 58-24 while the 76ers finished 51-31. We are looking at a series where the winner will have a rally solid shot at making the NBA Finals.

The Raptors are up a game in the series already as they took home a 108-95 win on Saturday night.

The Raptors are looking to continue their momentum and give themselves two home wins over the 76ers.

Both teams finished with four straight wins in the first round so both came in well rested as they each dispatched their respective opponents easily after losing the first game. The Raptors are favoured to win this second game by 6.5 points.

76ers Look for a Win

The 76ers success resides on the health of Joel Embiid. After missing game three of the first round due to a nagging knee injury, Embiid has played in the past two games. Embiid did miss shootaround this morning due to a stomach illness but is expected to take the court for the game this evening.

Through the postseason, Embiid is leading the team with 23.0 points a game and Tobias Harris is right behind him averaging 17.0 points a game. Embiid is scoring all of his points while playing just 25.4 minutes per game. Embiid is also leading the team in rebounds at 12.4 a game.

The 76ers are a really solid team collectively, it is just that Embiid is such a huge part of that system that if he isn’t healthy it could be a tough road for him. The 76ers are set up to get to the finals, but they must get through the Raptors first.

Raptors Look to Steal Another Win

The Raptors have already taken the first game at home, they are hoping to do the same in the second game of the series. Kawhi Leonard has been great so far in the playoffs as he has averaged 30.7 points a game through the first six games he has played. Pascal Siakam is the second leading scorer on the team at a 23.7 points per game clip.

The Raptors have scored 114.4 points a game so far in the playoffs and are going to need a player other than Leonard and Siakam to step up and score the ball. Defensively they are really solid and should be able to contain the wings and guards of the 76ers throughout the series.

Raptors Should Take Game Two

The Raptors have a ton of momentum right now and have been really good at home this season. With a wealth of talent and being healthy, the Raptors are a safe bet to win the game tonight. If Embiid isn’t fully healthy it would put the Raptors in an even better position to win the game.

Take the Raptors at -6.5 and hope that Embiid doesn’t have a monster game. The Raptors should take both of these.

Ryan Knuppel Author

Ryan (aka Knup) has been writing sports betting content for over a decade now. He covers anything and everything related to United Stats sports including football, basketball, baseball, golf and more. He has finished first place in several gambling related contests over the years which gives him instant credibility in the betting world. Ryan is a die-hard St. Louis...

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