Philadelphia (48 - 34)

Expert Pick
0% ><···················· 100%

Toronto (44 - 38)

Atlantic Division Showdown


Philadelphia @ Toronto – Battle for Atlantic Division These are two teams at the top of the Atlantic Division. Playing each other back to back weeks to start off the season. In Week 1, Toronto walked out with the win in a game where both Kevin Durant and Steph Curry both scored over 40 points. After having a game against Toronto under it’s belt, perhaps Philadelphia knows the proper adjustments to make to face Toronto again in week 2. Thankfully, Kevin Durant has been added to the injury list. So we’ll see if Toronto can still hold their ground in this division rematch. This will be a great game to anticipate for the beginning of the 2024-25 NSL season. Lineups Below are the projected lineups for each team: Philadelphia PG – Jordan Clarkson SG – Jalen Green SF – Kevin Huerter PF – Draymond Green C – Adem Bona Toronto PG – Stephen Curry SG – Shake Milton SF – Josh Hart PF – Mousa Diabate C – Kevon Looney Matchups: PG: Jordan Clarkson vs Stephen Curry Jordan Clarkson (77 OVR): 22.0 PTS, 5.5 REB, 2.3 AST, 1.0 STL, 0.5 BLK, 0.430 FG%, 0.29 3P%, 3.3 BPM Stephen Curry (95 OVR): 37.7 PTS, 4.3 REB, 2.3 AST, 0.7 STL, 0.0 BLK, 0.360 FG%, 0.33 3P%, -1.3 BPM Curry wins this matchup hands down. He’s one of the best players in NSL history. He’s the 4th highest scorer in the game. Clarkson just has to hope he can hold Steph under 40 points. Because it has happened before in Week 1. Maybe it can happen again in Week 2. SG: Jalen Green vs Shake Milton Jalen Green (85 OVR): 30.0 PTS, 5.5 REB, 2.3 AST, 1.0 STL, 0.5 BLK, 0.430 FG%, 0.310 3P%, -1.8 BPM Shake Milton (72 OVR): 4.0 PTS, 3.3 REB, 3.7 AST, 0.7 STL, 0.3 BLK, 0.290 FG%, 0.200 3P%, -3.0 BPM I had Shake Milton moving into the starting lineup with the injury to Kevin Durant. Dennis Schroder was the next best player, but he is only PG eligible. Milton, however, is just a backup player. He’s never really been anything special. Therefore I have Jalen Green winning this matchup. Jalen Green's lowest score this year has been 26 PTS. I don’t think Shake can get close to that. SF: Kevin Huerter vs Josh Hart Kevin Huerter (76 OVR): 18.3 PTS, 4.8 REB, 3.5 AST, 0.5 STL, 0.5 BLK, 0.50 FG%, 0.46 3P%, -1.8 BPM Josh Hart (82 OVR): 12.7 PTS, 7.7 REB, 5.0 AST, 0.0 STL, 0.0 BLK, 0.50 FG%, 0.50 3P%, 5.0 BPM This is a tough one to gauge. Because even though Huerter is outscoring Hart on the year, Hart out-contributes in others ways like rebounds and assist. He even has a higher BPM than Huerter. You could say Hart provides better on defense. Hart has no defensive stats like steals or blocks though, but we know he can defend. And plus Hart is higher rated. I’d have to give this one to Hart, but I think it’s close. PF: Draymond Green vs Mousa Diabate Draymond Green (83 OVR): 16.3 PTS, 5.0 REB, 4.3 AST, 0.8 STL, 1.3 BLK, 0.520 FG%, 0.47 3P%, 0.8 BPM Moussa Diabate (69 OVR): 4.3 PTS, 6.0 REB, 2.0 AST, 0.0 STL, 1.3 BLK, 0.550 FG%, 0.00 3P%, 8.3 BPM Draymond Green is the true veteran here. Moussa Diabate is has been a borderline G League player in his 2 years here in the league. He’s only starting for the Raptors because Dylan doesn’t have any other Power Forwards but the injured Kevin Durant. And he’s only a 69 rated player. Draymond is outperforming Diabate in just about every stat but BPM and FG% (only by 0.030). C: Adem Bona vs Kevon Looney Adem Bona (69 OVR): 4.5 PTS, 8.5 REB 0.5 AST, 1.8 STL, 1.5 BLK, 0.410 FG%, 0.00 3P%, -0.8 BPM Kevon Looney (77 OVR): 11.0 PTS, 14.7 REB, 1.3 AST, 2.0 STL, 1.3 BLK, 0.72 FG%, 0.00 3P%, -4.3 BPM Kevon Looney is the true veteran here. Adem Bona is just a G League player. He’s only starting because Robert Williams, Steven Adams, Precious Achiuwa, and Kristaps Porzingis are all injured. Looney outperforms Bona in every stat but blocks and BPM (could change with new team). Looney wins the matchup here. Bench Philadelphia: Jonathan Mogbo, Ryan Dunn, Ariel Hukporti, Cam Christie Toronto: Dennis Schroder, Luka Kornet, Garrett Temple, Baylor Scheierman, Riley Minix I think Philly’s bench squad is useless. Just a bunch of G League players and rookies. Ryan Dunn’s defense is nice, but I doubt he does much in 2K at this junction of the season. Maybe he gets some steals, but that’s about it. Toronto on the other hand has a true veteran in Dennis Schroder. Temple and Kornet are vetted, but I don’t think they do anything in 2K. And then Scheierman and Minix are useless G League guys. But by just having Schroder alone, I see the Raptor’s bench being better.

Philadelphia @ Toronto – Battle for Atlantic Division

These are two teams at the top of the Atlantic Division. Playing each other back to back weeks to start off the season. In Week 1, Toronto walked out with the win in a game where both Kevin Durant and Steph Curry both scored over 40 points. After having a game against Toronto under it’s belt, perhaps Philadelphia knows the proper adjustments to make to face Toronto again in week 2. Thankfully, Kevin Durant has been added to the injury list. So we’ll see if Toronto can still hold their ground in this division rematch. This will be a great game to anticipate for the beginning of the 2024-25 NSL season.

Lineups

Below are the projected lineups for each team:

Philadelphia

PG – Jordan Clarkson
SG – Jalen Green
SF – Kevin Huerter
PF – Draymond Green
C – Adem Bona

Toronto

PG – Stephen Curry
SG – Shake Milton
SF – Josh Hart
PF – Mousa Diabate
C – Kevon Looney

Matchups:

PG: Jordan Clarkson vs Stephen Curry

Jordan Clarkson (77 OVR): 22.0 PTS, 5.5 REB, 2.3 AST, 1.0 STL, 0.5 BLK, 0.430 FG%, 0.29 3P%, 3.3 BPM

Stephen Curry (95 OVR): 37.7 PTS, 4.3 REB, 2.3 AST, 0.7 STL, 0.0 BLK, 0.360 FG%, 0.33 3P%, -1.3 BPM

Curry wins this matchup hands down. He’s one of the best players in NSL history. He’s the 4th highest scorer in the game. Clarkson just has to hope he can hold Steph under 40 points. Because it has happened before in Week 1. Maybe it can happen again in Week 2.

SG: Jalen Green vs Shake Milton

Jalen Green (85 OVR): 30.0 PTS, 5.5 REB, 2.3 AST, 1.0 STL, 0.5 BLK, 0.430 FG%, 0.310 3P%, -1.8 BPM

Shake Milton (72 OVR): 4.0 PTS, 3.3 REB, 3.7 AST, 0.7 STL, 0.3 BLK, 0.290 FG%, 0.200 3P%, -3.0 BPM

I had Shake Milton moving into the starting lineup with the injury to Kevin Durant. Dennis Schroder was the next best player, but he is only PG eligible. Milton, however, is just a backup player. He’s never really been anything special. Therefore I have Jalen Green winning this matchup. Jalen Green's lowest score this year has been 26 PTS. I don’t think Shake can get close to that.

SF: Kevin Huerter vs Josh Hart

Kevin Huerter (76 OVR): 18.3 PTS, 4.8 REB, 3.5 AST, 0.5 STL, 0.5 BLK, 0.50 FG%, 0.46 3P%, -1.8 BPM

Josh Hart (82 OVR): 12.7 PTS, 7.7 REB, 5.0 AST, 0.0 STL, 0.0 BLK, 0.50 FG%, 0.50 3P%, 5.0 BPM

This is a tough one to gauge. Because even though Huerter is outscoring Hart on the year, Hart out-contributes in others ways like rebounds and assist. He even has a higher BPM than Huerter. You could say Hart provides better on defense. Hart has no defensive stats like steals or blocks though, but we know he can defend. And plus Hart is higher rated. I’d have to give this one to Hart, but I think it’s close.

PF: Draymond Green vs Mousa Diabate

Draymond Green (83 OVR): 16.3 PTS, 5.0 REB, 4.3 AST, 0.8 STL, 1.3 BLK, 0.520 FG%, 0.47 3P%, 0.8 BPM

Moussa Diabate (69 OVR): 4.3 PTS, 6.0 REB, 2.0 AST, 0.0 STL, 1.3 BLK, 0.550 FG%, 0.00 3P%, 8.3 BPM

Draymond Green is the true veteran here. Moussa Diabate is has been a borderline G League player in his 2 years here in the league. He’s only starting for the Raptors because Dylan doesn’t have any other Power Forwards but the injured Kevin Durant. And he’s only a 69 rated player. Draymond is outperforming Diabate in just about every stat but BPM and FG% (only by 0.030).

C: Adem Bona vs Kevon Looney

Adem Bona (69 OVR): 4.5 PTS, 8.5 REB 0.5 AST, 1.8 STL, 1.5 BLK, 0.410 FG%, 0.00 3P%, -0.8 BPM

Kevon Looney (77 OVR): 11.0 PTS, 14.7 REB, 1.3 AST, 2.0 STL, 1.3 BLK, 0.72 FG%, 0.00 3P%, -4.3 BPM

Kevon Looney is the true veteran here. Adem Bona is just a G League player. He’s only starting because Robert Williams, Steven Adams, Precious Achiuwa, and Kristaps Porzingis are all injured. Looney outperforms Bona in every stat but blocks and BPM (could change with new team). Looney wins the matchup here.

Bench

Philadelphia: Jonathan Mogbo, Ryan Dunn, Ariel Hukporti, Cam Christie

Toronto: Dennis Schroder, Luka Kornet, Garrett Temple, Baylor Scheierman, Riley Minix

I think Philly’s bench squad is useless. Just a bunch of G League players and rookies. Ryan Dunn’s defense is nice, but I doubt he does much in 2K at this junction of the season. Maybe he gets some steals, but that’s about it.

Toronto on the other hand has a true veteran in Dennis Schroder. Temple and Kornet are vetted, but I don’t think they do anything in 2K. And then Scheierman and Minix are useless G League guys.

But by just having Schroder alone, I see the Raptor’s bench being better.

76ers Star

Jalen Green
I think Jordan Clarkson, Jalen Green, Kevin Huerter, and Draymond Green can all win this game for Philly, but Jalen Green is the guy who should put up the most.

PPG 27.2

RPG 3.9

APG 3.0

SPG 0.7

BPG 0.4

FPG 1.6

TPG 1.5

PPG 32.4

RPG 3.6

APG 4.2

SPG 0.8

BPG 0.3

FPG 2.6

TPG 1.3

Raptors Star

Stephen Curry
Curry and Looney are the only ones who can do any real damage on the Raptors. But more so Curry. Curry is capable of putting up 40+ points. But will that be enough to carry the Raptors to a victory this week?

X-Factor
Curry is the X-Factor for this game. I think him and Looney are the only ones in the starting lineup that can do any kind of damage on the Raptors end. But more so Steph. But hey, this is Steph Curry! He could be on a team of G League talent and still carry the team to a W. I feel like Philly has guys at every position but center that can do damage. As long as the net sum of them can outproduce the carry job that Curry is doing, they can win this. So for Philly, there isn’t one or two guys that will win this game for them. They have four guys. So at the end of the day, it comes down to how hard will Curry carry the Raptors. And for Philly, it will be more of a team effort.

X-Factor

Curry is the X-Factor for this game. I think him and Looney are the only ones in the starting lineup that can do any kind of damage on the Raptors end. But more so Steph. But hey, this is Steph Curry! He could be on a team of G League talent and still carry the team to a W. I feel like Philly has guys at every position but center that can do damage. As long as the net sum of them can outproduce the carry job that Curry is doing, they can win this. So for Philly, there isn’t one or two guys that will win this game for them. They have four guys. So at the end of the day, it comes down to how hard will Curry carry the Raptors. And for Philly, it will be more of a team effort.

Injury Report
Injured Players: Kevin Durant (Calf) - 7 NBA Games missed this season Kenrich Williams (Knee) - 10 NBA Games missed this season Vit Krejci (Adductor/Injury Management) - 10 NBA Games missed this season Andrew Nembhard (Knee) - 8 NBA Games missed this season	Injured Players: Steven Adams (Knee) - 8 NBA Games missed this season Marcus Smart (Ankle/Illness) - 9 NBA Games missed this season Kristaps Porzingis (Foot) - 15 NBA Games missed this season Robert Williams (Hamstring/Injury Management) - 8 NBA Games missed this season Precious Achiuwa (Hamstring) - 14 NBA Games missed this season DayRon Sharpe (Hamstring) - 15 NBA Games missed this season

Prediction
I got to go with Curry. This year is catered to the stars. Philadelphia doesn't have a star in his stratosphere. Raptors.

	WAS	97
	CLE	115

	SA	99
	MIN	112

	PHI	99
	CLE	101

	LAL	103
	SA	107

	CLE	105
	PHI	109