Sixers-Raptors Game 1: Well, That Was Downright Fun

 Quick points from a rollicking good time:

> 1 turnover -- one! -- in the first 40 minutes of the game, i.e., when it mattered. They ended the game with a 29-4 assist to turnover ratio.

> James Harden was 14/1 to lead the parade, hit a couple of step-back 3's at the end of bad possessions, and generally looked far from spent and shot. Nice to nail the prediction of rest = better James.

> This will be remembered as the Tyrese Maxey Quarter, when the Raps kept hitting 3s and threatening to make a game out of it, and the kid just would not let them. Could not love him more.

> Minutes -- and chants from the smart Philly crowd -- for Paul Reed, none for Deandre Jordan. It's almost as if Doc Rivers wants to keep this job.

> Best Tobias Harris game in a long time. He bullied the smaller Raps, got a kind roll on a few shots, played good defense and didn't have the ball stick in his hands.

> If the Sixers win by 20 and I don't mention Joel Embiid until five bullets into the recap, that's a hell of a game, honestly. Joel needs to not get baited into dumb beef with lesser players, but his adjustment in this contest -- focusing on defensive rebounding and half-court passing -- was exactly what was needed.

> For the Raps, wow, this did not go well. Your Rookie of the Year candidate left with an injury and looks done, your star point guard got owned by a second year guy, and your active bigs with range that provoke turnovers got nothing and did not like it. This roster looks hurt and overmatched, and while every game in a playoff series is different, a 20+ point win in Game One without a massive Embiid effort is really not good.

> The idea that this franchise drafted backcourt players *twice* with the #1 pick in close succession, had both of them flame out due to mental and physical injury, and got a dramatically better player deep in the first round... well, that's not the way the Association works, honestly. Or life.

> Won fast break, rebounding, turnovers, shot over 50% from the arc, got reasonable bench minutes from Reed, Shake Milton and George Niang. Maybe the best game they've played this season. Now, let's see if they can handle success.

> Game Two is Monday at 7:30pm. Expect more from the Raps -- but maybe more from Embiid, too.