In today's episode of The Sixers Beat, Rich and I preview the Sixers versus Raptors

first round series, going over everything from the keys to the series, the coaching

matchup, and our predictions for the series.

Enjoy the podcast. All right, welcome everybody.

This is Derek Bodner, joined by Rich Hoffman on a Sixers Beat, a part of the Athletics Podcast Network.

You know, we took a step back.

We probably both went back and rewatched all the games.

And we are ready to dive into the Sixers versus Raptors first round series.

How you doing, Rich?

I'm great, buddy.

We got some juice right now.

We've got some playoff basketball.

We do.

We do. And i think we all

sort of agreed this was one of the tougher first round matchups they could have had probably the toughest

outside of brooklyn maybe even tougher than brooklyn depending on which brooklyn shows up but it was

probably the right path for the sixers if you wanted them to go deep in the playoffs well now we're at

the day of reckoning we are on the doorstep of

this becoming a reality and we'll find out whether or not that sort of optimism about the

Sixers' chances was warranted. You know, by the way, people are very negative about this crew.

They are. They are. And I think, actually, I don't know. I don't entirely know where you stand on this. I think we both acknowledge this was a tougher matchup for the Sixers. But I think we also both felt at least a couple of weeks ago that these Sixers hold a significant edge in the talent perspective. So I guess let's just start it off with what do you think are the keys to the series?

So I would say the keys to the series.

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