3 Areas That Will Determine 76ers' Result vs. Raptors on Thursday

Little went right for the 76ers in their 123-101 loss to the Celtics on Tuesday night. Philadelphia suffered its largest defeat of the season; a motivated Jaylen Brown had as many fouls as made field goals (four), and Paul George erupted for a game-high 36.

Fortunately for Philadelphia (9-3), it had to wait just 48 hours to seek redemption. The 76ers will face the Raptors (5-6) at 7 p.m. ET. Toronto has been far from healthy lately, but its tenacious defense and fast pace could still pose an interesting challenge for Philadelphia.

Here are three important factors that will influence this matchup.

1. Toronto's health

The Raptors have been without Kawhi Leonard since Oct. 23. He has been dealing with swelling in his left knee and is undergoing a reconditioning process, Esfandiar Baraheni of The Athletic reported on Tuesday afternoon.

Scottie Barnes has also missed Toronto’s last three games and is considered day-to-day, Blake Murphy of SportsNet reported before the Raptors’ 98-93 loss to the Celtics on Nov. 11. Barnes is a staple in the Raptors’ identity on both ends of the floor, given his playmaking and defensive versatility.

Scottie Barnes is day-to-day with the groin injury, he’s reconditioning right now and testing it more, “progressing well.” No word on availability for Thursday yet.
— Blake Murphy (@BlakeMurphyODC) November 11, 2026

The Raptors have felt Barnes' absence, losing two of their last three games. Yet Toronto is a feisty team, ranking second in the NBA in steals per game at 10.2. The Raptors boast many disruptive defenders like Jamal Shead and Collin Murray-Boyles who can make things difficult for the 76ers.

2. How these teams match up

Philadelphia records the fourth-fewest turnovers per game league-wide at 12.3. But—as depicted in their loss to Boston—the 76ers’ half-court offense has been funky at times. Toronto’s ability to switch, help in gaps, and clog passing lanes could exploit that even more.

Granted, Toronto may be without Barnes, its defensive anchor. The Raptors also have offensive problems in their own right, ranking in the bottom five of the league in three-point attempts and percentage. Philadelphia should be able to pack the paint as a result—an essential strategy as the Raptors thrive within the arc.

3. The 76ers' own injury questions

Two key parts of this are Joel Embiid and LeBron James, who are both listed as questionable dealing with respective foot and back injury management. Embiid's ability to force opponents into lower-quality looks at the rim and James’ organizational skills could make this matchup more challenging for the 76ers.

The Sixers have an injury report for tomorrow's game vs. Toronto:

Joel Embiid – foot management – QUESTIONABLE

LeBron James – back management – QUESTIONABLE

Adem Bona – cervical spine sprain – OUT

Dominick Barlow – back – OUT
— Adam Aaronson (@SixersAdam) November 11, 2026

But Philadelphia has the rest and home advantage as Toronto is on the second part of a back-to-back. Perhaps Brown can string together a bounce-back performance after scoring 13 points on his former team.

The 76ers’ loss to Boston is certainly the most adversity they’ve faced this year, but how they respond will be key to Nick Nurse knowing what buttons to push down the line.

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