The Sixers and Trail Blazers each won Game Six of their respective series on Thursday, pushing a pair of conference semifinals to a seventh and deciding game.
Both of those Game Sevens are scheduled to take place on Sunday, with the Sixers and Raptors set to tip off at 7:00 pm ET, while the Nuggets and Blazers will either play before or after, depending on whether a third Game Seven is required for Golden State and Houston.
For the 76ers and Raptors, there’s a ton at stake in Sunday’s Game 7. Each team made two huge trades this season, with Toronto acquiring Kawhi Leonard, Danny Green, and Marc Gasol, while Philadelphia landed Jimmy Butler and Tobias Harris. Those franchise-altering deals were made with an NBA Finals appearance in mind, so neither club would be happy with a second-round exit.
It has been hard to know what to expect from the Raptors and Sixers from game to game, as players like Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons, Kyle Lowry, and Gasol have looked great in one outing, then all but disappeared in the next. The fact that Game 7 will take place in Toronto should offer the Raptors an advantage. Through six games, the Raps have a +14.7 net rating at home, compared to their -8.7 mark on the road.
Home court advantage could also be crucial over in the West, as the Nuggets posted an NBA-best 34-7 record during the regular season in the Mile High City. The club hasn’t been invincible in Denver during the postseason, losing a home game in each of the first two rounds. But the difference between the Nuggets’ net rating at home (+9.2) and on the road (-3.2) vs. Portland is stark.
Although the Sixers and Blazers will go on the road as underdogs, it would be dangerous to write them off. Both teams have superstars who are capable of taking over games and single-handedly turning a potential loss into a win.
What do you think? Will the Raptors and Nuggets protect their home courts and advance to the final four? Or will will see stars like Embiid and Damian Lillard come up big and push their teams through to the conference finals?
Vote below in our poll, then head to the comment section to share your two cents!
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Raptors and Blazers win. Leonard and Lillard dominate. Butler and Jokic are neutralized. Secondary stars(Lowry and McCollum) have big games as well
Even though they took out the Raptors last night…..
There’s no way the Sixers win game 7 in the north. Book it.
That’s the biggest no-brainer in the history of mankind. Try to find your deed to the farm and bring it to the nearest Gambling Hall.
The Nuggets will definitely beat the Blazers in game seven. Lillard’s Miracles will cease in Denver.
A side note, in most of these series it’s funny how home court has held. Toronto looks awful in Philly same with the nuggets in Portland. And vice versa both series.
My Warriors stand a good chance to win tonight in Houston because they realize they can’t take game 7 for granted with Mr. Shot-maker Durant out of the lineup.
Warriors defense must be grade A tonight.
Houston is so good though, and well tuned that I wouldn’t be surprised if they take the series winning game 6 and 7… but I wouldn’t bet on it. Series can go either way now.
Here comes the warriors fans making sure everything is about their team
Of course it’s all about the Warriors…, where you been? They’ve won it all three of the last four years. Who’s going to knock them off?
Thumb down bro. My last paragraph says Houston is good.
I have earlier predicted Portand to face GSW, but at this point, I would be inclined to cover that with a Denver gm7 bet. As @cesc might say, the Nuggets can win with a more regular performance, while the Blazers require hero-ball. At least they essentially admit it by not trying to run plays late in games.
If they get the ball to Kanter more often, that would be a big help, but they have not done that as much as they should. Get Jokic fouled out. It’s all quite doable… if they do it lol.
Raptors also can take the homecourt energy to a win. They are also a stiffer test for Milwaukee. But of course, all that is subject to Embiid, his health, and his three freinds in stripes.
Does anyone else think Embiid favors Butler over Harris? Maybe he is just following the HC’s preference, avoiding Siakim perhaps. Butler is getting more looks vs Raps.
Good post…., and I really look forward to a Kawhi Leonard- Giannis matchup. That’ll be must-see TV.
Odds are it will be Golden State versus Denver and Toronto versus Milwaukee the finals I have a sinking feeling is going to be Golden State versus Toronto
Philly is gonna win as Embiid is overdue a great game.
Denver is gonna win as Jokic will have another historic game.
Lillard can’t keep hitting them from the center court.
Giannis/Embiid (if healthy) is the best face off in the league right now!
People were saying the Raptors were an an absolute lock to beat the Sixers in game 6 too. Look what happened. Sixers win and Kawhi leaves !!