Predicting Final Score, Top Performers for 76ers vs. Raptors

The Philadelphia 76ers will look to bounce back from a tough loss to the Boston Celtics on Tuesday night when they host the Toronto Raptors at the Xfinity Mobile Arena on Thursday night. It will be the first of four meetings between the two division rivals on the season.

Some key contributors underwhelmed statistically for the Sixers against the Celtics, but they'll be itching to bounce back against Toronto. Here are some predictions for who will lead the Sixers in scoring, assisting and rebounding against the Raptors, along with a prediction for the final score.

Top scorer for 76ers: Jaylen Brown

Jaylen Brown was frustrated with his own performance against the Celtics on Tuesday night. He admitted as much after the game.

“I’m a bit frustrated, honestly,” Brown said. “I wanted to perform better for my team. Foul trouble kind of derailed me a little bit, but it happens. It’s unfortunate. But now we gotta just move on to the next.”

Brown scored just 13 points on 4-of-9 shooting in the game. Given his unhappiness with that performance, Brown should be motivated to bounce back in a major way against the Raptors. Before his dud against the Celtics, Brown had scored 20-plus points in four consecutive games for the Sixers, including 29-plus in two of them. Look for him to get back to that on Thursday night.

Top assister for 76ers: Tyrese Maxey

LeBron James leads the 76ers in assists per game on the season, but Maxey has also been operating as a key playmaker for Philadelphia. He's tallied seven or more assists in three of Philadelphia's last five games, including recording a season-high 11 assists against the Chicago Bulls on Nov. 2.

The Sixers' offense has been struggling a bit, especially in the halfcourt, and Maxey knows that his gravity as a shooter and scorer opens things up for the rest of the guys around him. Expect him to lean into that against Toronto in order to get things going for not only himself, but his teammates, too.

Top rebounder for 76ers: Jaylen Brown

Joel Embiid and LeBron James are Philadelphia's two leading rebounders on the season, but both are dealing with injury issues heading into the game against Toronto. Embiid (right foot plantar fascia injury management) and James (sciatica management) are both considered questionable for the contest. Even if they play, they could both be hampered, so someone else is going to have to step up in the rebounding department.

Brown is Philly's third-leading rebounder on the season, and the extra motivation that he should have to author a bounce-back performance should carry over to the glass.

Final score prediction: 76ers 110, Raptors 102

The Raptors will continue to be without Kawhi Leonard (knee) for the game against the Sixers, and they'll also be on the second night of a back-to-back after losing to the Celtics 98-93 on Wednesday night. These factors should tilt the game in Philadelphia's favor.

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