NBA Playoffs 2022 on Tuesday, 19.04.2022
The Philadelphia 76ers simply rolled over the Toronto Raptors in Game 1. The home side swept the Canadians 131-111 without giving them a single chance at any point.
In the face of such concentrated power, Toronto could not withstand the pressure for long. All too often, the Raptors had no choice but to foul – which only got them into more trouble!
Because the 76ers – and Joel Embiid in particular – are outstanding from the free throw line, scoring 29 points on an 85.3% success rate from the line alone. But the two superstars Embiid and Harden still stole the show!
For who outshone everyone on this night was undoubtedly Tyrese Maxey, who seemingly got a pass from the Raptors’ defence with 38 points! Such a pass, however, he will definitely not be issued by the Canadian immigration authorities.
Maxey is not vaccinated and therefore cannot enter the country according to the laws there! All the more reason why the Sixers will have to keep up the pace in Game 2 and give their guard every possible minute of the game.
Personally, I think tonight’s game will turn into a mirror image of Game 1. Mainly because the Sixers were so strong that they were able to take the tempo out early in the second half.
Because by halftime, Philadelphia converted 19 three-pointers, dished out 15 assists and didn’t cause a single turnover! The Canadians were simply overwhelmed – not least by the physicality of the home side.
The 76ers enjoy significant size advantages, which were not as clearly reflected in the rebounding ratio as initially thought. Nevertheless, securing free balls at the basket remains one of the main problems of the guests in this series.
The Raptors, meanwhile, seem to be having a slump at the wrong time! Indeed, the away loss to the Sixers was their third in their last four outings, having previously recorded six straight NBA wins away from home.
A main problem remains that the guests cannot get access to Joel Embiid and cover him successfully. Maxey’s unexpectedly strong performance at the same time then only caused additional problems.
The top bookmakers are even more convinced of a 76ers win than they were 48 hours ago due to tonight’s outstanding performance!
The odds for the Blue and Whites to win are currently around 1.33, a good deal lower than in Game 1! On the other hand, a win for the Canadians is currently 3.40, which makes it more unlikely than ever before.
Conclusion: There is absolutely no reason why the Sixers, with momentum on their side and their own crowd behind them, should not celebrate another commanding victory over the Canadians.
If James Harden, Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey get another 40 minutes, the Canadians will have no chance to escape the pressure.
Beware of the first half, because in it the Sixers were merciless the day before yesterday! The guests were rattled early with one three-pointer after another and forced to commit many fouls as a result.
My 76ers Raptors tip: Half time/Final score 1/1.
