The Philadelphia 76ers are hosting the Toronto Raptors shorthanded on Wednesday.
Nerlens Noel will miss a second consecutive game due to sore wrists (he’s been blogging with poor ergonomics, too, it turns out), while Robert Convington remains sidelined due to an aggravation of the right MCL sprain he suffered during the preseason.
On the Raptors’ side, Terrence Ross is out at least two weeks after injuring a ligament in his left thumb and DeMarre Carroll is considered a game-time decision due to plantar fasciitis in his right foot. Context clues suggest Carroll will miss a third consecutive game but the team’s three-game losing streak and Carroll’s own desire to be on the floor could push him back into duty. It would be wrong for the Raptors to take anything but the long-view with an injury that can linger well into the season, even if it means running the risk of being the Sixers’ first loss of the season.
Even with Carroll likely sidelined and Ross out, on the second night of a home-road back-to-back no less, the Raptors are 10-point favorites as of this writing.
That may seem extreme after three losses, but the 76ers are 0-7 and are out perhaps their best player. You can check out the full game preview here, and rest assured the Raptors likely have the edge at guard, wing, and in the front court. Philadelphia has been outscored by 13.1 points per-100 possessions (PPC) on the season, a number that drops to 8.9 with Noel on the floor and balloons to 18.5 when he’s not. Even impressive rookie centre Jahlil Okafor has struggled without his tag-team partner, as the Sixers have been rolled by 27.2 PPC with Okafor on the floor without his defensive safety net.
Noel is averaging 12.2 points, 9.7 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.7 steals, and 1.8 blocks in six games, impressive production for fantasy owners who saw him becoming the first player to average two assists, steals, and rebounds since David Robinson in 1991-92. He’s only shooting 42.1 percent and is committing 3.2 turnovers in 32.2 minutes, but he covers a great deal of ground defensively and is one of the league’s lone five-by-five box score threats. The Sixers were woeful without Noel on Monday, losing 111-88 at home to the Chicago Bulls, who were without Joakim Noah.
The absence of Noel likely means that Richaun Holmes draws another start at the four and Christian Wood sees extended run off the bench. It could also mean that the Sixers opt to go small with Jerami Grant at power forward for stretches, a lineup the Raptors could struggle to keep up with in transition if Carroll can’t go. Holmes is averaging 5.1 points and 2.3 rebounds in 14.4 minutes following a strong training camp, while Wood has only been given significant run once, scoring nine points with eight rebounds in 22 minutes against Chicago.
Covington’s absence, meanwhile, is one the Sixers have grown accustomed to early on. The team’s best outside shooter (since Nik Stauskas has decided not to hit many of his 8.2 long-range attempts per game), Covington only managed to return for one game before heading back to the sidelines. Last season, he averaged 13.5 points and knocked down 37.4 percent of his 3-point looks, something that’s sorely missing for an offense that ranks 10th in the percentage of field goal attempts from outside but 24th in 3-point percentage. Hollis Thompson has been the primary beneficiary of Covington’s absence, responding by averaging 8.1 points with an unsightly 46.8 true shooting percentage.
There’s nowhere else to put this, so: T.J. McConnell is awesome.
Anthony Davis, meanwhile, is listed as doubtful for the New Orleans Pelicans tonight and is considered day-to-day with a hip strain. The Pelicans visit the Raptors on Friday.
