The Toronto Raptors are in a 2-0 hole in their first-round playoff series against the Philadelphia 76ers.
If the Raptors want to save their season, something is going to have to change soon, and a victory in Game 3 would be a good place to start.
Game 3 will take place on Wednesday. According to Raptors head coach Nick Nurse, Gary Trent Jr. will play in the contest. Scottie Barnes, meanwhile, also has a chance to play.
Gary Trent Jr. Will play tonight, and likely start. He's feeling a bit better but still not great. Scottie Barnes is doing a bit better and it's possible he plays tonight, according to Nick Nurse
— (((Eric Koreen))) (@ekoreen) April 20, 2022
The Raptors are obviously hoping to have both players available for the matchup. If the Raptors were to lose Game 3, they’d fall into a 3-0 hole, which is a deficit no team in the NBA has ever come back from.
Trent has been a key player for the Raptors this season. In the regular season, he averaged 18.3 points, 2.7 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game while shooting 41.4 percent from the field and 38.3 percent from deep.
Barnes, meanwhile, is one of the league’s most exciting rookies. In the regular season, the youngster averaged 15.3 points, 7.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game while shooting 49.2 percent from the field and 30.1 percent from deep.
Barnes didn’t play at all for Toronto in Game 2 against the Sixers. In Game 1, he racked up 15 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists while going 4-for-6 from the field before suffering an ankle injury.
Realistically, the Raptors probably aren’t going to challenge for this season’s title, but they’d surely love to eliminate a team that does have legitimate championship hopes. The Sixers certainly do, and Toronto has a chance to play spoiler.
