Philadelphia 76ers: 3 takeaways from Game 1 defeat vs. Raptors

The Philadelphia 76ers lost Game 1 of their second round series of the 2019 NBA Playoffs in decisive fashion. Here are three takeaways from the series opener.

There were concerns about how the Philadelphia 76ers matched up with the Toronto Raptors heading into their second round series of the 2019 NBA Playoffs, and in Game 1, those concerns were proven to be legitimate.

In a decisive 108-95 defeat that wasn’t as close as the final score indicated, the Sixers were hit with a rude awakening. Despite possessing one of the NBA’s most talented starting fives, Philly’s stars were thoroughly outplayed by Toronto’s, particularly in the wing matchups that will likely determines who advances to the Eastern Conference Finals.

What’s worrisome is the Raptors are notorious for dropping Game 1s, being 2-14 all-time in series openers before Saturday. Although there was optimism about the Sixers’ chances since their new-look lineup including Jimmy Butler and Tobias Harris hadn’t faced this team yet, it quickly came crashing down in a contest where Philly played from behind all night.

Kawhi Leonard exploded for a playoff career-high 45 points, Pascal Siakam followed up with 29 and not a single other Raptor scored in double-figures, but it was still enough for the double-digit win. All five Philly starters scored in double digits, but their leading scorer was J.J. Redick with a mere 17 points.

Do the 76ers stand a chance in this series? And if so, what areas have to be addressed moving forward? In order to sort it out, here’s a look at three takeaways from the Game 1 loss.