With both the Raptors and Sixers taking care of business in the first round in five games, the two teams are set to face in the postseason for the first time in 18 years. The Sixers and Raptors will meet in the postseason for the first time in 18 years With both the Raptors and Sixers taking care of business in the first round in five games, the Eastern Conference Semifinals are now set. NBA.com is your destination for complete coverage of every series from now through the end of the NBA Finals. Series Schedule The series schedule has not been announced yet but Toronto has homecourt advantage and the series will begin at Scotiabank Arena. Game 1 - Saturday, April 27 at Toronto, Time: TBD TV: SN Game 2 - Monday, April 29 at Toronto, Time: TBD TV: TSN Network Game 3 - Thursday, May 2 at Philadelphia, 8:00 p.m. TV: SN Game 4 - Sunday, May 5 at Philadelphia, 3:30 p.m. TV: TSN Game 5 (if necessary) - Tuesday, May 7 at Toronto, TBD TV: SN Game 6 (if necessary) - Thursday, May 9 at Philadelphia, TBD TV: TSN Game 7 (if necessary) - Sunday, May 12 at Toronto, TBD TV: SN Recapping the season series Result: Raptors won 3-1 Best game: Dec. 5, 2018 - Raptors 113, 76ers 102 Best performance: Kawhi Leonard (Dec. 5, 2018) - 36 points (13-24 FG, 5-6 3P), 9 rebounds, 5 steals, 1 block Of the four times the Raptors and Sixers met in the regular season, the closest meeting was decided by 11 points in early Dec. The season series opened just two weeks into the regular season when Toronto defeated Philadelphia 129-112 behind 31 points from Kawhi Leonard. Kyle Lowry (20 points, 12 assists) and Pascal Siakam (15 points, 15 rebounds) each put forth impressive double-doubles while the Sixers were led by 31 points and 11 rebounds from Joel Embiid. While Ben Simmons flirted with a triple-double (11 points, 10 assists, eight rebounds), he committed 11 turnovers on the night. The next meeting between the teams would come over a month later, and the Sixers had added Jimmy Butler to an already-talented roster. Butler made his presence felt, scoring a game-high 38 points to go along with 10 rebounds but Kawhi Leonard was too much, as he finished with 36 points, nine rebounds, five steals and a block to lead Toronto to an 11-point win. The Raptors dominated on the inside in the second meeting as Serge Ibaka finished with 18 points and eight rebounds and Jonas Valanciunas scored 26 points and grabbed eight rebounds in a reserve role; Joel Embiid scored just 10 points (on 5-for-17 shooting) and grabbed 12 rebounds. The Sixers lone win came in the third meeting of the year when the Raptors were without Kawhi Leonard. Joel Embiid (27 points), Ben Simmons (26 points) and J.J. Redick (22 points) combined to score 75 points as Philadelphia earned a convincing 126-101 win at Wells Fargo Center. The Raptors were led by 26 points from Pascal Siakam and 20 points (on 6-for-16 shooting) from a hobbled Kyle Lowry. In the fourth and final meeting between the two teams this season, Kawhi Leonard scored a team-high 24 points despite shooting 3-for-11 from the field as the Raptors earned a 12-point win in Philadelphia. While he had a rough shooting night, Toronto's All-Star forward converted on 16 of his 17 free throw attempts in the game to make his presence felt on the offensive end. Both Kyle Lowry and Serge Ibaka added 20 points apiece while Pascal Siakam finished with 16 points in the win. In a losing effort, Joel Embiid scored a game-high 37 points to go along with 13 rebounds and three blocks while Ben Simmons finished with 20 points, seven rebounds, six assists and six turnovers. Key storyline: The Marc Gasol Effect https://images.daznservices.com/di/library/NBA_Global_CMS_image_storage/eb/f8/joel-embiid-marc-gasol-042319-ftr-nba-getty_9bftodh47q9m1xmnvrynf7w5u.jpg?t=1294628506&w=500 Both the Raptors and Sixers made a number of big moves during the regular season to bolster their respective rosters to better prepare for the postseason. Perhaps one of the biggest - quite literally - was Toronto's trade deadline move to acquire centre Marc Gasol from the Memphis Grizzlies. Gasol's passing ability has paid dividends for the Raptors, as evidenced by their increased efficiency on the offensive end. On the defensive end, Gasol has done an excellent job on interior scorers, most recently playing a large role in limiting Magic All-Star centre Nikola Vucevic to 11.2 points (on 36.2 FG%) in the first round. It gets no easier this series, as Gasol will now be tasked with slowing down the Sixers All-NBA centre Joel Embiid, who averaged 24.8 points and 13.5 rebounds in their first-round series win over the Nets despite the fact he wasn't 100%. While Gasol was not yet a member of the Raptors roster for any of their four meetings with the Sixers this season, he has an impressive track record against Embiid in his career. The two have met five times and Gasol has had a hand in holding Embiid to averages of 14.0 points (on 34.4 FG%), 12.4 rebounds to go along with 4.4 turnovers per game. The Gasol-led Grizzlies were 3-2 against Embiid and the Sixers. In four games against the Raptors this season, Embiid averaged 26.3 points, 11.8 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.8 blocks per game. His performance on the offensive end - and Gasol's ability to slow him down - could very well be what swings this series. Three Players to Watch Kawhi Leonard vs. Philadelphia in 2018-19 (three games): 30.3 points (48.1 FG%, 50.0 3P%, 90.9 FT%), 7.7 rebounds, 4.0 steals, 2.7 assists Leonard made his presence felt in the three games in which he took the floor against Philadelphia this season. Starting with a 31-point performance early on in the year, Kawhi was the Raptors leading scorer each time they defeated the Sixers. Perhaps the most eye-popping stat from Leonard's three games against Philly this season derives from his ability to get to the line - Leonard averaged 11.0 free throw attempts through the three games, thanks in part to his going 16-for-17 from the line in a win in early Feb. After averaging 27.8 points, 6.6 rebounds and 3.0 assists in the Raptors first-round series win over the Magic, playoff Kawhi is in full effect; he'll look to continue his stellar play in the second round. Ben Simmons vs. Toronto in 2018-19 (four games): 16.3 points (62.8 FG%), 9.3 rebounds, 8.8 assists, 6.3 turnovers Ben Simmons has an opportunity to reverse some recent misfortune that he's had against Leonard and the Sixers. While the Sixers 23-year-old All-Star put up impressive numbers on efficient shooting splits, he has a clear issue with turning the ball over against Toronto. To open the season, Simmons committed a career-high 11 turnovers as the Raptors defence stifled him throughout the night. Turnovers have been a season-long issue for the Sixers and it all begins with their point guard, who dictates the pace of the game with his unique blend of size, speed and playmaking ability. In Philly's three losses to Toronto, Simmons averaged 8.0 turnovers per game; he committed just one turnover in their win. Kyle Lowry vs. Philadelphia in 2018-19 (four games): 16.8 points (40.7 FG%, 34.4 FG%), 6.8 assists, 3.5 rebounds, 1.8 steals There's no question that Lowry, a proud native of North Philly, will be amped up for an opportunity to play postseason basketball in his hometown. During the regular season, Lowry appeared in all four games against the Sixers and scored exactly 20 points in all games except one. The All-Star guard's worst scoring performance against Philly came during his early December slump, as he finished with just seven points (on 2-for-8 shooting), four assists and three steals. Lowry's grit and ability to score can give the Sixers problems on the defensive end and could also be just what the Raptors need to steal a game at Wells Fargo Center. In his most recent game in Philadelphia, Lowry scored 20 points while connecting on five of his nine 3-point attempts and dished out six assists. Fast Facts<doc-sep>The 2019 NBA Playoffs didn’t begin quite how the Toronto Raptors and Philadelphia 76ers had hoped. After Game 1 losses for both teams, though, the No. 2 and 3 seeds in the Eastern Conference got on the right track and proceeded to reel off four consecutive wins each. In turn, they advanced to the second round of the playoffs, setting up an intriguing matchup between the 50-plus win teams. For the Raptors, they opened the postseason with an opening-round date against the Orlando Magic. That loss featured a clutch game-winning 3-pointer from D.J. Augustin to leave Kawhi Leonard and company in an early hole. They managed to rally back and win two of the next three games by double-digits before closing out the series at home in Game 5. It was a similar situation for the Sixers after they lost 111-102 in the series opener against the Brooklyn Nets. Philly dominated Game 2 by a score of 145-123 and proceeded to steal both games in Brooklyn as well to head back home and close out the series in Game 5 (barring a massive late blown lead). It appears both teams have turned the corner at the right time, and it now sets up the much-anticipated Eastern Conference semifinals matchup. Philadelphia 76ers vs. Toronto Raptors 2019 NBA Playoff Preview Toronto holds the edge over the Sixers from the regular season, winning three of four meetings. The one loss they suffered against Philly came in a game where Leonard sat out, but the outlook for both teams is somewhat different at this point. Specifically, Brett Brown’s starting lineup of Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons, Jimmy Butler, Tobias Harris and JJ Redick haven’t played a large number of games together, but appear to be hitting their stride. This new-look Sixers roster hasn’t faced the Raptors since the trade to acquire Harris either so Toronto will face a team they haven’t seen this season. Embiid’s health will be a key talking point, but if his knee injury, which has been pegged as tendonitis, is able to hold up, the Sixers are a team capable of pulling off the upset. With the whole group together and healthy, Philadelphia boasts arguably the strongest starting lineup in the Eastern Conference. Follow the Heavy NBA Facebook page for all the latest stories, rumors and viral content! On the other side, the Raptors posted a 58-24 record during the regular season, and this was with players sitting out at various points for load management purposes. They’re well-rounded and have plenty of firepower on both ends with Leonard, Kyle Lowry, Pascal Siakam, Marc Gasol and Serge Ibaka, among others. The Raptors holding homecourt advantage is big as well, considering they went 32-9 on their own floor this season. Pairing that with the Sixers’ 20-21 road record makes this an even more interesting matchup. 76ers vs. Raptors Second Round NBA Playoff Schedule & Prediction Note: Tentative times and dates are listed below with all information courtesy of Sports Media Watch. We know how the TNT and ABC/ESPN coverage looks, although the specific game schedule will be finalized in the coming days. It’s worth noting that the first round will be wrapped up by April 28 with the second round slated to get underway on April 29. Although round two will begin on April 29 at the latest, there’s a chance dates and times can be changed depending on when the opening round wraps up. As Sports Media Group points out, conference semifinals matchups could potentially be moved up to April 27-28. UPDATE: Keith Pompey of the Philly Inquirer revealed the schedule for the series, with the Sixers vs. Raptors being moved up to start on Saturday, April 27. The other times below remain tentative with the rest of the schedule not posted yet. Saturday, April 27 Philadelphia 76ers vs. Toronto Raptors 7:30 p.m. ET (TNT) Sunday, April 28 Boston Celtics vs. Milwaukee Bucks 1 p.m. ET (ABC) Houston Rockets vs. Golden State Warriors 3:30 p.m. ET (ABC) Monday, April 29 Philadelphia 76ers vs. Toronto Raptors 8 p.m. ET (TNT) Portland Trail Blazers vs. Denver Nuggets/San Antonio Spurs 10:30 p.m. ET (TNT) Tuesday, April 30 Boston Celtics vs. Milwaukee Bucks 8 p.m. ET (TNT) Houston Rockets vs. Golden State Warriors 10:30 p.m. ET (TNT) Wednesday, May 1 Portland Trail Blazers vs. Denver Nuggets/San Antonio Spurs 9 p.m. ET (TNT) Thursday, May 2 Toronto Raptors vs. Philadelphia 76ers 8:00 p.m. ET (ESPN) Friday, May 3 Milwaukee Bucks vs. Boston Celtics Time TBD (ESPN) Portland Trail Blazers vs. Denver Nuggets/San Antonio Spurs Time TBD (ESPN) Saturday, May 4 Golden State Warriors vs. Houston Rockets 8:30 p.m. ET (ABC) Sunday, May 5 Toronto Raptors vs. Philadelphia 76ers 3:30 p.m. ET (ABC) Portland Trail Blazers vs. Denver Nuggets/San Antonio Spurs 7 p.m. ET (TNT) Monday, May 6 Milwaukee Bucks vs. Boston Celtics Time 7 p.m. ET (TNT) Golden State Warriors vs. Houston Rocket 9:30 p.m. ET (TNT) Tuesday, May 7 *Philadelphia 76ers vs. Toronto Raptors Time TBD (TNT) *Portland Trail Blazers vs. Denver Nuggets/San Antonio Spurs TBD (TNT) Wednesday, May 8 *Boston Celtics vs. Milwaukee Bucks Time TBD (TNT) *Houston Rockets vs. Golden State Warriors TBD (TNT) Thursday, May 9 *Toronto Raptors vs. Philadelphia 76ers TBD (ESPN) *Portland Trail Blazers vs. Denver Nuggets/San Antonio Spurs TBD (ESPN) Friday, May 10 *Milwaukee Bucks vs. Boston Celtics Time TBD (ESPN) *Golden State Warriors vs. Houston Rockets TBD (ESPN) Sunday, May 12 *Houston Rockets vs. Golden State Warriors TBD (ABC or TNT) *Portland Trail Blazers vs. Denver Nuggets/San Antonio Spurs TBD (ABC or TNT) *Philadelphia 76ers vs. Toronto Raptors Time TBD (TNT) Monday, May 13 *Boston Celtics vs. Milwaukee Bucks Time TBD (TNT) *If necessary Official times and dates for the 76ers vs. Raptors series will be updated after the schedule is finalized in the coming days. The big question becomes whether the Sixers can keep their hot recent play going in order to pull off an upset. It may truly come down to Embiid’s health, as the Raptors could have a tough time containing him while also trying to keep Simmons, Butler, Harris and Redick in check. While the Raptors were the better regular season team, it’s hard not to like Philadelphia’s upside. Assuming the Sixers are indeed healthy and Embiid can consistently log 30-plus minutes per game moving forward, I think they advance to the Eastern Conference Finals. One additional big question will be whether Butler can slow down Leonard enough to keep him from taking over at times, and I believe he’ll manage to hold his own. 76ers vs. Raptors series prediction: Sixers in six games READ NEXT: Bucks vs. Celtics Playoff Schedule: Second Round Preview & Prediction<doc-sep>The Philadelphia 76ers and the Toronto Raptors are now officially ready to rumble for a spot in the Eastern Conference Finals. The full schedule for this second round series was released on Wednesday and Game 1 will be played in Toronto on Saturday before the series shifts to Philadelphia for Games 3 and 4 on Thursday. Full schedule for Sixers Raptors is here pic.twitter.com/Y5uyPnuzAQ — Kyle Neubeck (@KyleNeubeck) April 24, 2019 The Raptors took three out of four from the Sixers in the regular season, but they have not faced them since the trade acquisition of Tobias Harris, Boban Marjanovic, Mike Scott, and James Ennis III. That’s a good chunk of the Sixers rotation that the Raptors have not seen yet. Nonetheless, the Sixers have not won in Toronto since 2012 and for them to win this series, they will have to figure out a way to get a win at Scotiabank Arena. They will also have to figure out a way to beat Kawhi Leonard. They have never beaten the Raptors star in his NBA career. Game 1 will be this Saturday at either 7:30 p.m. or 8:00 p.m. EST.<doc-sep>
In case you were under a rock last night, or Damian Lillard’s heroics gave you short-term amnesia, both the Toronto Raptors and Philadelphia 76ers closed out their first round series — and are now set to meet in the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals. The NBA has now released the schedule for the best-of-seven series; the action starts Saturday, April 27 in Toronto, and wraps up no later than Sunday, May 12. That’s when an if-needed Game 7 would take place, also here in Toronto. Not all tip-off times are not set yet, as we await results of the Western Conference side of the bracket; we also await Canadian broadcast info. Look for updates to the schedule below as we learn more. And naturally, we’ll have all kinds of preview material in the coming days! Go ahead and clear your calendars now. Raptors vs. 76ers Second Round Schedule Game 1: Saturday, April 27 — 7:30pm — Scotiabank Arena — TNT/Sportsnet ONE Game 2: Monday, April 29 — 8pm— Scotiabank Arena — TNT/TSN Game 3: Thursday, May 2 — 8pm — Wells Fargo Center — ESPN/Sportsnet One Game 4: Sunday, May 5 — 3:30pm — Wells Fargo Center — ABC/TSN **Game 5: Tuesday, May 7 — 8pm — Scotiabank — TNT/Sportsnet **Game 6: Thursday, May 9 — TBD — Wells Fargo Center —ESPN/TSN **Game 7: Sunday, May 12 — TBD — Scotiabank — TNT/Sportsnet **if necessary, of course The first-round series against Orlando gave Raptors fans something new — namely, a quick and easy victory over an inferior opponent. Philadelphia will be different; sure, the Raptors finished the regular season with pretty big cushion between them and the 76ers, and they won the season series 3-1. But all of those games came before the 76ers added Tobias Harris to create a starting five that may equal Toronto’s, on both ends of the floor. It promises to be a good series, so let’s tune in starting Saturday!