Raptors at 76ers
The Toronto Raptors have been on a roller-coaster the past week - and are hoping for a more normal outcome Friday when they visit the Philadelphia 76ers. After squandering a big lead in a loss to the Los Angeles Lakers and seeing a 30-point second-half rally fall just short in Charlotte, Toronto turned the tables with a 21-point comeback in a victory over the Dallas Mavericks. They'll face a Philadelphia 76ers team coming off a 110-106 triumph over the New York Knicks.
While the Raptors seek some consistency as the Atlantic Division leaders, the 76ers find themselves at the bottom of the division standings and looking to build on the momentum of a rare victory. Philadelphia has dropped seven of its last nine games, and a porous defense is largely to blame for the 76ers' season-long woes. They enter Friday night's encounter having surrendered a whopping 109.8 points per game, easily the most in the NBA.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, TSN2 (Toronto), CSN (Philadelphia)
ABOUT THE RAPTORS (21-20): Chatter is heating up among Raptors fans about which Toronto guard is more worthy of an All-Star berth. While point guard Kyle Lowry has had a strong month of January (17.1 points, 7.5 assists), backcourt mate DeMar DeRozan made an enormous statement in the comeback victory over Dallas. DeRozan poured in a career-best 40 points on 15-of-22 from the field, increasing his January scoring average to 24.2 - ninth-best in the NBA - to go with 5.5 rebounds and 4.8 assists.
ABOUT THE 76ERS (14-28): With the season officially reaching its halfway point, the race for NBA Rookie of the Year has become Michael Carter-Williams' to lose. The 22-year-old Syracuse standout is having far and away the strongest season of any first-year player, leading all freshmen in scoring (17.5), rebounding (5.9), assists (6.7), steals (2.48) and double-doubles (nine) while recording one of two triple-doubles by a rookie. Carter-Williams was at his most versatile in the win over New York, scoring 19 points while adding 12 rebounds and seven assists.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Toronto has won both meetings this season, scoring 108 points in each.
2. DeRozan averages 15.7 points in 17 career games versus the 76ers.
3. Carter-Williams also leads all first-year players in minutes (34.6).