The 76ers may catch a break in their first meeting with Toronto this season, because Kawhi Leonard’s status is suddenly very much up in the air.
Leonard is expected to miss “a period of weeks” after dealing with swelling in his left knee, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported this week. Chris Haynes later said Leonard is looking at “around” a three-to-four-week timetable.
The injury news matters for Philadelphia because the Raptors and Sixers are set to meet for the first time on Nov. 12.
That date lands right around the three-week mark from when Leonard was sidelined on Oct. 23, which leaves the door open for him to miss the matchup. At the same time, there is still some uncertainty, so Nick Nurse and the 76ers can’t simply assume he’ll be out.
If Leonard doesn’t play, the balance of the game shifts. Toronto has leaned on him as its new centerpiece, and his delayed arrival followed by the injury has already interrupted the team’s search for rhythm. The Raptors were blasted 117-94 by the Timberwolves in the first game Leonard missed, though they bounced back with a 30-point win over the Magic.
Toronto still has quality around the edges, with RJ Barrett and Scottie Barnes giving the club two pillars to build around. But taking Leonard out of the equation gives Philadelphia a cleaner path to victory, especially with Tyrese Maxey giving the Sixers the best guard in the matchup.
The frontcourt also tilts heavily toward Philly if Leonard sits. Jakob Poeltl has opened the year with a rough line of 2.8 points and 4.5 rebounds in four games, and Toronto’s size behind him looks thin. Poeltl is the only player on the main roster listed above 6-foot-9, while seven-footer Nate Bittle is on a two-way contract and has not played yet.
That could create a big night for Joel Embiid, and Toronto would be without the one player who has the physical tools to bother him if Embiid gets rolling.
There’s also a bigger picture here. The 3-1 Raptors and 4-1 Sixers appear headed for a tight race in the standings, and that can matter later if the teams are separated by seeding or tied at season’s end. An early win would also give Philadelphia a 1-0 edge in the season series.
If the Sixers get that first one, they could try to put the head-to-head advantage out of reach on Jan. 10, or lock it up for good by winning on Nov. 12 and then twice more across the meetings on Jan. 10, March 15 and April 6.
So this isn’t just another early-season game. Leonard’s availability could decide whether Philadelphia gets an early edge in a matchup with real implications down the line.
In Other News...
Hornets Big Man Emerges As A Trade Fit For Contender In Need
The 76ers have opened 4-1, but the early concern is clear enough: the defensive glass is still a problem. For a team trying to build on a strong start, that leaves the frontcourt worth watching, especially if the goal is to add size and energy without touching the core of the roster.
One speculative answer floating around would send Jabari Walker and future second-round picks to Charlotte for Moussa Diabat, a young center who has made the most of limited chances. It is the kind of low-cost move contenders often explore when they need rebounding help and extra defensive depth, and Philadelphia fits that profile right now. [Read more 🡒]
Tyrese Maxey Just Spotlighted A Sixers Problem That Still Looms
Tyrese Maxey has become one of the clearest bright spots for the Sixers, giving them reliable scoring from multiple levels and a steady offensive presence when the team needs it most. But even as Maxey keeps elevating his game, Philadelphias bigger issues keep surfacing around him, especially the stretches where the offense bogs down and the supporting cast struggles to provide enough secondary production.
The recent loss to the Pistons was another reminder that Maxey can only carry so much of the load on his own. The Sixers still need cleaner execution and more consistent help around him, and the whole equation remains tied to Joel Embiids availability and level of play, which continues to loom over how far this group can go. [Read more 🡒]
Jaylen Brown Is Already Battling A Boston Narrative In Philadelphia
Jaylen Brown is already having to swat away old noise in Philadelphia, and it has nothing to do with his play. The former Celtics wing denied Brian Scalabrines claim that he demanded a trade out of Boston, even as Scalabrine later softened the wording and said Brown had not technically asked out but had laid out a list of demands for the Celtics. For the 76ers, the timing matters because Brown has quickly been asked to turn the page and settle into a new role, with the attention following him from one locker room to the next.
So far, Brown has done the part Philadelphia can control, and the on-court fit has given the team something more useful than the chatter. He recently posted a double-double in a win over the Indiana Pacers, a reminder that the conversation around him is not just about what happened in Boston or how it gets framed now. The narrative may keep traveling with him for a while, but the Sixers will care most about whether the production keeps coming once the questions do not. [Read more 🡒]