Coming off a loss to the Spurs the other day the Toronto Raptors hope to bounce back with a revamped roster against the Philadelphia 76ers. It should be an exciting night at the Air Canada Centre for the debut of Grievis Vasquez and Patrick Patterson because these are the type of players this team needs. The Raptors are poised to make some more changes, and players are well aware of that, so it will be interesting to see whether that has any impact to the team chemistry of established players in rotation. The Raptors are now a more competitive team, they should be able to give the home crowd a good show for the limited amount of time they’ll be together.
Cage’s Keys to the Game
Show Some Effort
At this point in time, that’s all I ask for; a little bit of effort. We’re all aware of what’s going on, but don’t let it mess up the game. Some of the players are genuinely happy, and some may be walking on thin ice. If the tank is on…then the tank is on, but don’t break my heart.
Inside Out
We got bigs! They may not be all healthy or active, however our team has got significantly larger. It’s not about their physical size, but the way they play. Patrick Patterson is the perfect inside out player, and if he’s able to find his stride alongside Jonas Valanciunas and Amir Johnson, that trio developing will keep me content for at least a season. Pat-Pat is like Ed Davis 2.0 but with more shooting
Pick and Roll
It worked against the Lakers, it started to work against the Spurs. My guess, if they try it again, and again. It just might work with the 76ers. I’m so excited to see how everybody meshes, Masai made the holidays come early this year.
New Guys
So you just traded our most talented, for four new players. Play them. A lot.
Don’t Sleep
The 76ers are a team that play hard all game. They’re being coached the right way, but are just doing a magnificent job of tanking because their world has finally come crashing down. They’re on a four-game losing streak, but that doesn’t mean that wins come easy.
X-Factor: DeMar DeRozan
With all the noise surrounding his new and current teammates, DeMar DeRozan’s production has silently dipped. With a game back in his home arena, DeRozan should look to solidify his role as the number one option with the new teammates. Going against Evan Turner is sure to provide a good matchup of two young and talented shooting guards.
