Pros and Cons: Sixers vs. Raptors Game 1
The playoffs have arrived
Adam Aaronson, whose legal name is Sixers Adam (@SixersAdam on Twitter), covers the Sixers for The Rights To Ricky Sanchez. He believes cantaloupe is the best food in existence, and is brought to you by the Official Realtor of The Process, Adam Ksebe.
Finally, the postseason has arrived! The Sixers opened their 2019 rematch against the Toronto Raptors tonight. Here’s what jumped out to me during the first game of the series:
Pro: Joel Embiid patrolling the paint
Embiid’s defensive effort has been inconsistent this season -- which, given the offensive load he has had to handle while playing muchy more than he ever has in a regular season, is totally reasonable.
But even after games where he has struggled defensively, I never found myself worried about him. Because throughout his career, Embiid has shown that when he needs to, he can flip the metaphorical switch and lock in.
And, guess what? In the first playoff game of the year, Embiid was all over the place (in a good way), turning in an excellent defensive showing in which he protected the rim at a high level while holding his own on the perimeter against Toronto’s smaller, athletic lineups.
The Sixers should fear putting too much weight on Embiid’s shoulders on offense in the playoffs. One of the reasons why is that a gassed version of Embiid is a far inferior defender than the one we saw tonight. But so far, so good!
Pro: Sixers limit turnovers, execute cleanly
The Sixers had what was almost certainly their best game of the year as far as offensive execution goes. Not only did they shoot the lights out, but they nearly went the entire game without committing a turnover.
Say what you want about Doc Rivers and his coaching staff -- but tonight, the Sixers looked exactly the way they should. They were a well-oiled machine, clearly in an entirely different weight class than the Raptors.
The reason I felt reasonably confident the Sixers would win this series is the sheer talent discrepancy between themselves and the Raptors. Tonight, the Sixers magnified that to the fullest possible extent.
Pro: Is Tyrese Maxey the best basketball player who has ever lived?
I think the answer might be yes?
Maxey was truly otherworldly tonight. In the first playoff start of his young career, at just 21 years old, he absolutely shredded the Toronto Raptors’ excellent defense.
Maxey finished with 38 points on 14-21 shooting, including five remarkable three-pointers. Maxey was particularly dazzling in the third quarter, when he dropped 21 points and single-handedly held off a Toronto run.
We’ve all spoken about it all year, but my goodness, Maxey’s development this season has been something to behold.
Maxey has done literally everything that could have possibly been asked of him. He learned how to play point guard to fill in for Ben Simmons. After hitting his stride, he then had to move back to an off-ball role and get acclimated to an offense featuring James Harden. Best of all, he’s gone from a decent, but timid shooter to one of the very best in the entire NBA.
The Sixers have a full-blown third star on their hands in a second-year player selected with the 21st overall pick.
In the biggest moments, Maxey is continuing to show that he is ready, on any stage, for anything you throw at him.