The Toronto Raptors are off to their best start in franchise history at 5-1. They rank second in the NBA in offensive efficiency (third on an opponent-adjusted basis), 12th in defensive efficiency (10th on an opponent-adjusted basis), have decided to never, ever turn the ball over ever again, and appear to be back on track on defense after a startling blowout win over Washington.
The Philadelphia 76ers and Orlando Magic now provide a potential pair of trap games ahead of Thursday’s nationally televised (!!!) game against the Chicago Bulls.
The Raptors have been good, but they’ve been susceptible to poor stretches far too often. Rather than taking their foot off the gas for a few games to ease into Chicago, it’d behoove the team to instead hit the throttle and lay waste to the 76ers on Sunday. It’s the first game of the year I’m attending, so part of me hopes they play poorly enough that it’s a close win in the fourth quarter, but I’d be disappointed at a higher level if that were the case.
| Raptors | 76ers | |
|---|---|---|
| Record | 5-1 | 0-6 |
| O-Rating | 112.7 | 97.0 |
| Adj. Rank | 3 | 30 |
| D-Rating | 103.9 | 106.9 |
| Adj. Rank | 10 | 20 |
There’s no question the Sixers have been bad, though their defense has been surprisingly spry without Michael Carter-Williams and, for one game and perhaps Sunday, Nerlens Noel. They also have some fun pieces who are playing for their basketball lives, which should mean their “compete level” (ugh) is generally high. They’re bad, but no NBA game is a certainty.
To help set the stage for this oen, I reached out to Andrew Unterberger of The 700 Level (and many more cool basketball and music places). Dude knows his ball and is always a blast to catch up with. If you don’t walk away from this pregame with a new appreciation for the Sixers, well…I guess I still can’t blame you because it’s the Sixers, but still.
—
Raptors Republic: It’s Year 2 of a pretty terrible situation for fans in Philly. With perspective and distance, the strategy they’re employing makes a ton of sense, and it’s always fun to watch rookies develop, but how frustrating have the past, oh, 18 months been, and has it changed how you approach your relationship with the team?
Unterberger: Actually, I’ve enjoyed the last 18 months immensely. The 3-0 start to last season was basically the high point of my basketball-watching life, but even during the 26-game losing streak, I greatly enjoyed the experience of watching this team of forgotten cast-offs, draft refugees and other NBA ephemera trying to figure out how to win games with a virtually empty toolbox. I’ve found that it’s thoroughly possible to enjoy basketball without caring abut wins and losses—you fall in love with the players who cycle through, you appreciate the little developments in the players who may one day be part of your team’s core, you get tickled when they do better than expected, and when they fail they usually fail hilariously. It’s kind of fun to watch basketball for its own sake, with no immediate hopes or expectations.
The only really frustrating part is the injuries. Michael Carter-Williams keeps taking longer than expected to return from various maladies, if Nerlens Noel was ever fully healthy for more than a week at a time it’d be pretty shocking, and who knows when we’ll actually get to see Joel Embiid on the court. But otherwise, unless you’re a casual fan or a beat writer, I’m not sure how you couldn’t love this team at least a little bit.
Raptors Republic: There’s been a ton to like about Nerlens Noel so far. He causes chaos defensively, he can pass much better than I expected, and he seems to be some instinct development away from being a contributor at both ends. He may not play Sunday due to a bum ankle, but just in case, fill us in on the Noel experience so far.
Unterberger: Nerlens has been a pretty mixed bag so far, though one of those mixed bags where if you feel like you’re patient enough to get through all the raisins and cashews, it’s mostly chocolate chips at the bottom. He has no real post moves and a terrible jump shot, he’s a smart passer but he’s not that accurate yet, he’s pretty lousy at catching the ball and his rebounding instincts are downright terrible so far. But even as a super-raw rookie, he can still impact a game like few players in the league–his defensive presence in the paint is a game-changer, and his hands on the perimeter are just as good. Watching him shut down Dwight Howard in the post the other night was pretty eye-opening as well.
One way or another, Nerlens blows up defensive possessions like few other big men, and it’s very exciting to see what he can do on offense once he’s playing with longtime BFF Michael Carter-Williams. You know, an actual point guard.
Raptors Republic: Someone who WILL play on Sunday is the man I wanted the Raptors to take at No. 20 in June, K.J. McDaniels. He is the goddam best. What have you seen from him so far?
Unterberger: KJ is a shot-blocking athletic marvel with enough smarts and physical dexterity to also shut down James Harden on the perimeter. He’s shown pretty nice shooting tough so far, and even some minor ball-handling stuff, and he just always seems to be where the action is in the half-court, skying for offensive rebounds, scrumming for loose balls and just getting after it. He was third among rookies in scoring for a while, practically without even trying.
He can basically be everything to all people, he still has a ton of room to grow and I am really irritated that the Sixers didn’t lock him down for more than his rookie year and don’t sell his jersey in their team store yet. How every NBA team passed on this guy this summer is totally flummoxing.
Raptors Republic: There’s “a looter in the riot,” and then there is “a team full of looters competing to loot the most in a riot with shit burning all around them.” The latter is the 76ers. How difficult does their situation make it to evaluate individual players? Of the non-MCW/Noel/KJMcD players on the team, who seem like legitimate, looting-free keepers?
Unterberger: It’s tough, but it’s not like anyone on the team last year besides MCW put up any real stats, even with all the opportunity and playing time in the world. Tony Wroten has certainly played like a keeper so far this season—through six games, his numbers are legitimately All-Star-ish, and his ability to get to the net even when every defense in the world knows that all he really wants to do is incredibly impressive. He might not be able to coexist full-time with Michael Carter-Williams, but he could make himself a mighty interesting trade piece soon enough.
Hollis Thompson, we’d like to see something more from him fairly soon. He ended last season on a three-point shooting tear and had a strong summer league, but his stroke from deep has mostly eluded him this year and he shoots free throws like a kid being forced to eat Brussels sprouts. We hoped he could be a 3-and-D specialist someday and he still might be, though K.J. now seems already further along that path.
Otherwise, we like Jordan McRae (currently playing in Australia for no clear reason) and Jerami Grant, but the latter hasn’t even played yet with ankle issues. Shved has been frisky and Luc Mbah a Mote had a double-double Friday somehow. Best not to get too attached to some of these guys, though—I still haven’t gotten over Hinkie cutting Royce White last year before the season even began, and I can’t go through that again.
—
So there you have it. My dude K.J. McDAMNiels filling the highlight reel, and a few other intriguing pieces to keep an eye on. Obviously, reading that, the impression you should come away with is that this game is eminently winnable for the home team.
I couldn’t find a line as of this writing (it’s Saturday afternoon), probably because the statuses of Noel and Amir Johnson are unclear. Last season, the Raptors won all four meetings between the teams, winning at home by eight and 11, and on the road by 10 (pre-trade) and 11. This year’s Raptors team is probably a shade better while the 76ers are a shade worse (don’t forget they’re without Thad Young, Evan Turner, Spencer Hawes, and Carter-Williams compared to a season ago). I’d guess the line comes in at low double-digits, and the Raptors should probably win this by 15 or so on home turf.
Instead, I’ll throw objectivity out the window and call for a six-point win, so that I can see a game with a semi-decent closing stretch. Selfish, sure, but this is my pre-game. Enjoy the game, everyone, and just remember as you watch the Sixers: this is what a lot of you wanted for the Raptors’ franchise after the Rudy Gay trade last season. I prefer where we’re at currently, myself.
Oh yeah, the game’s at 7 p.m. on one of the Sportsnets.
