GAME #22 – TORONTO RAPTORS (15-6) vs. PHILADELPHIA 76ERS (15-7) SUNDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2019 – 6 P.M. (ET) – WELLS FARGO CENTER TV: TSN – RADIO: TSN 1050 TORONTO
INJURY REPORT AT 1:30 P.M. SUNDAY
TOR@PHIPhiladelphia 76ers
Bolden, JonahOut Injury/Illness – Right Achilles; Soreness
Richardson, JoshOut Injury/Illness – Right Hamstring; Tightness
Smith, ZhaireOut Injury/Illness – Right Lower Leg; Laceration
Thybulle, MatisseQuestionableInjury/Illness – Right Ankle; Sprain
Toronto RaptorsBrissett, OshaeOutG League – Two-Way
Hernandez, DewanOutG League – On Assignment
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RAPTORS NOTES
• The Toronto Raptors play their first game of a back-to-back set Sunday night against the Philadelphia 76ers at Wells Fargo Center. The Raptors visit Chicago on Monday. Toronto has won four of the past five regular-season meetings vs. Philadelphia, including the first matchup this season. Pascal Siakam scored 25 points and Fred VanVleet added 24 in a 101-96 victory Nov. 25 vs. the Sixers.
• The Raptors held Houston to .408 shooting from the field (40-for-98) on Thursday night. It marked the 11th time this season, and fourth time in the last six games, Toronto has held its opponent below 41 percent shooting from the floor. The Raptors currently lead the NBA in opponent field-goal percentage (.411).
• Fred VanVleet finished with 20 points, six rebounds and five assists in 38 minutes Dec. 5 vs. Houston. VanVleet has now scored 20 or more points in six of the past eight games. He is averaging 21.3 points, while shooting .455 (56-123) from the floor and .400 (24-60) from 3-point distance during this stretch. VanVleet has reached the 20-point mark 10 times this season; something he did seven times in his first three seasons combined (2016-19).
• The Raptors scored 19 fast-break points Thursday vs. Houston. Toronto is averaging 19.4 fast break points this season — most in the NBA. Kyle Lowry (6.3) and Pascal Siakam (4.3) currently rank second and sixth, respectively, in the league in fast-break points per game. The Raptors ranked fourth in the NBA in fast-break points (18.4) last season.
• Toronto had 14 steals Dec. 5 against the Rockets. The Raptors have now registered double-digit steals in three of the past four games; totaling 49 steals during this stretch. Fred VanVleet leads the team with 14 steals over the past four games. Toronto had 10 or more steals just three times in its first 17 games.
• Norman Powell has led the bench in scoring in each of the last two games, averaging 18.5 points. Powell has scored in double figures in nine of the past 10 games, including a career-high 33 points Nov. 29 at Orlando. Powell is averaging 18.0 points (third on the team) and 3.6 rebounds over the last 10 games.
• The Rockets made 22-of-55 three-point attempts Thursday night — both single-game opponent records for Toronto. Ben McLemore made a career-high eight 3-pointers for the Rockets, while his 17 attempts from beyond the arc were also the most attempted by an opposing player in Raptors franchise history.
• December is Toronto’s busiest month of the season with 16 games and includes three back-to-back sets. The Raptors’ 11 games at Scotiabank Arena tie the franchise record for most home games in a calendar month — Toronto also played 11 games at home in March 2016.
• The NBA announced Monday that head coach Nick Nurse was named Eastern Conference Coach of the Month for games played in October and November. This marks the second time Nurse has earned the honour after he won for games played in October and November in 2018. Nurse coached the reigning NBA champions to a 14-4 record to start the season while facing several roster challenges along the way. The Raptors had eight different players miss games due to injury, including Kyle Lowry and Serge Ibaka.
F – OG ANUNOBY #3
MIN: 29.3 REB: 5.4 AST: 1.8 STL: 1.2 TO: 1.2 BLK: 0.9 PTS: 10.9
• Finished with nine points, four rebounds and four assists in 24 minutes Dec. 5 vs. Houston. • Toronto is a perfect 10-0 when Anunoby scores 10 or more points (Last: 10 – Dec. 1 vs. Utah). • Averaging 12.6 points in 14 wins this season, compared to 6.8 points in the Raptors’ six losses.
F – PASCAL SIAKAM #43
MIN: 36.8 REB: 8.6 AST: 3.8 STL: 0.9 TO: 2.9 BLK: 0.7 PTS: 25.0
• Totaled 24 points, nine rebounds, two assists and two steals in 36 minutes Dec. 5 vs. Houston. • Ranks 11th in the NBA in scoring (25.0) and fifth in minutes per game (36.8). • Has scored 30+ points eight times; had five 30-point performances in 80 games played last season.
C – MARC GASOL #33
MIN: 28.7 REB: 6.3 AST: 3.5 STL: 0.6 TO: 1.3 BLK: 1.0 PTS: 6.4
• Recorded a season-high four steals Dec. 5 vs. Houston; added five points, six rebounds, and five assists. • Reached 12,000 career points in the NBA Nov. 16 at Dallas. • Has collected 10+ rebounds three times this season, including a season-high 12 rebounds Nov. 2 at Milwaukee.
G – KYLE LOWRY #7
MIN: 37.2 REB: 4.5 AST: 7.1 STL: 1.1 TO: 3.2 BLK: 0.4 PTS: 20.5
• Contributed 19 points, eight assists and five rebounds in 42 minutes Dec. 5 vs. Houston. • Missed 11 games (Nov. 10 – Dec. 1) with a left thumb; distal phalanx fracture. • Needs one double-double to tie Antonio Davis (110) for third on the Raptors’ all-time list (see page 3 for top-five).
G – FRED VANVLEET #23
MIN: 37.8 REB: 3.9 AST: 7.3 STL: 2.0 TO: 2.4 BLK: 0.1 PTS: 18.7
• Finished with 20 points, six rebounds, five assists and three steals in 38 minutes Dec. 5 vs. Houston. • Leads the NBA in minutes per game (37.8) and ranks 11th in assists per game (7.3). • Toronto is 8-2 this season when VanVleet scores 20 or more points (Last: 20 – Dec. 5 vs. Houston).
INJURY REPORT
Stanley Johnson (Left groin; stress reaction) – Out Patrick McCaw (Left knee; surgery) – Out Matt Thomas (Left middle finger; distal phalanx fracture) – Out
SERIES RECAP VS. PHILADELPHIA
OVERALL HOME ROAD 2019-20
1-0 1-0 0-0 ALL-TIME 55-38 30-16 25-22
STREAKS Won 2 Won 14 Won 1
LAST WIN: November 25, 2019 (101-96)
LAST ROAD WIN: February 5, 2019 (119-107)
LARGEST MARGIN OF VICTORY: +34, October 21, 2017
LARGEST MARGIN OF DEFEAT: -35, January 7, 2012
LAST TIME VS. PHILADELPHIA
GAME 16 – NOVEMBER 25, 2019 TORONTO 101, PHILADELPHIA 96
TORONTO — Pascal Siakam scored 25 points, Fred VanVleet added 24 and the Raptors held Joel Embiid scoreless for the first time in his career in a 101-96 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday night … Embiid shot 0-for-11, missing all four of his shots from 3-point range and going 0-for-3 at the free throw line … Rondae Hollis-Jefferson had 16 points and 10 rebounds for the Raptors, who posted their 14th consecutive home victory over the 76ers … Josh Richardson scored 25 points, Tobias Harris had 18 and Mike Scott 12 for the 76ers, who have not won a regularseason game in Toronto in more than seven years … The 76ers used a 70 run to build a 94-88 lead with 5:16 left to play … Norman Powell and VanVleet hit 3-pointers that cut the gap to two, 96-94, but Toronto missed three straight chances to tie it … Siakam ended Toronto’s drought with a three-point play, giving the Raptors a one-point edge, 97-96, with 1:01 left … VanVleet was fouled and made two shots, giving the Raptors a three-point cushion … Harris and Ben Simmons missed 3-pointers before Siakam finished it with a thunderous dunk.
1 2 3 4 TOT
PHILADELPHIA 34 15 31 16 96
TORONTO 28 23 30 20 101
NEXT GAME DETAILS Opponent: Chicago Bulls Date: Monday, December 9 Tip-Off: 8 p.m. (ET) Venue: United Center Television: Sportsnet Radio: Sportsnet 590 The FAN
76ers POSSIBLE STARTERS (Stats prior to Saturday’s game).
The view from left field 