Raptors at 76ers
The Toronto Raptors look to break out of their worrying slump when they conclude a three-game road swing against the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday. The Raptors have lost eight of their last 11 games and are coming off a 92-86 setback to the Memphis Grizzlies in which it set season lows for points scored, field goal percentage (31.8) and 3-point field goal percentage (17.9). Toronto has won the last six meetings with the 76ers - including the last two by an average margin of 24 points.
Philadelphia had shown some signs of life by stringing together its second two-game winning streak of the season in mid-January before proceeding to drop five of the next six. The 76ers are coming off a disappointing 98-91 loss to the New York Knicks on Wednesday and sit 19 games behind the Raptors in the Atlantic Division. Philadelphia co-owns the worst home record in the NBA at 3-17 and hopes to turn its fortunes around by beating Toronto for the first time since Jan. 18, 2013.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, TSN 2 (Toronto), CSN Philadelphia.
ABOUT THE RAPTORS (27-15): Lou Williams led the way with 21 points off the bench and Kyle Lowry scored 18 of his 20 points in the second half to go along with eight rebounds in the loss to the Grizzlies. DeMar DeRozan was limited to six points on 2-of-11 shooting and is 2-of-20 from the floor in his last two outings. "He had some good looks he normally makes," Toronto coach Dwane Casey told reporters. "He's got to get his rhythm back, his mojo back on the offensive end."
ABOUT THE 76ERS (8-34): Michael Carter-Williams recorded 27 points, seven assists, six rebounds and five steals in the loss to the Knicks. "Michael is trying to bring the game to himself a lot," Philadelphia coach Brett Brown told reporters. "I thought that he didn't shy away from anything." Nerlens Noel missed Wednesday's game with an upper respiratory infection and Luc Mbah a Moute sat out his second straight contest with a left knee contusion and both players are questionable to face Toronto.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Raptors have won seven of the last eight meetings with the 76ers
2. Toronto is 7-0 against Atlantic Division opponents
3. Philadelphia has failed to score 100 points in 19 straight games