Philadelphia 76ers: 3 keys to a Game 3 win over the Toronto Raptors

1. The return of James Butler

In Game 2, Jimmy Butler played like a man amongst boys, so much so that Brett Brown gave him a new moniker to accommodate his elevated performance: James Butler.

Now there’s been some controversy as to what Butler’s actual first name is, with the forward attesting that his birth certificate reads ‘Jimmy Butler’ and Wikipedia confirming this assertion, one thing is clear; the Sixers desperately need ‘Game 2 Butler’ to make another appearance to win Game 3.

Sure, one could point to a bounce-back game for Joel Embiid as the team’s actual biggest need, as he played sick in Game 2 and only scored 12 points on seven shots, but for the most part, ‘The Process’ is a pretty consistent 27 and 13 double-doubler game in and game out. Butler, on the other hand, has scored in the 30s twice this postseason, but he’s also scored 10 or fewer points three times, failing to put up 20 or more in all but two games.

If the 76ers are going to beat the Raptors, who feature a dominant two-way winger in Kawhi Leonard, they will need their own dominant 3-and-d forward to be their leading scorer for the rest of the series.

Is Butler the same caliber player as Leonard? Probably not, but he’s tough, Philly tough, and in a 1-1 series headed back to the City of Brotherly Love, another monster game by Mr. Butler would all but ensure a second win.