Sixers-Raptors: Start time, channel, how to watch and stream NBA playoffs Game 1

Joel Embiid and the Sixers will begin their much-anticipated NBA playoff run Saturday when they take on the Toronto Raptors in South Philly at 6 p.m.

It’s the third time the Sixers have faced the Raptors in the playoffs. Philadelphia defeated Toronto in the second round of the 2001 playoffs, while Kawhi Leonard dropped the first Game 7 buzzer-beater in NBA playoffs history to send the Sixers home in 2019.

This time around, fans hope the addition of James Harden and his “perfect” Philly beard will help propel the team past the second round for the first time since 2001, when Allen Iverson led the Sixers to the NBA Finals. Harden doesn’t exactly have the best reputation when it comes to postseason play, but thanks to the play-in tournament, the team was able to spend the week on the practice court, where Harden worked on correcting his recent struggles shooting threes.

“You got to put the work in,” Harden said Thursday. “Yesterday, I stayed and shot a million shots... “So this has been a really good week for me to prepare myself for this first round.”

» READ MORE: Sixers-Raptors Game 1: Live updates

Here’s everything you need to know to watch or stream Game 1 of Sixers-Raptors:

Game 1 between the Sixers and Raptors in the first round of the NBA playoffs is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. Eastern, and will air live on both NBC Sports Philadelphia and ESPN.

Calling the game on NBC Sports Philadelphia is play-by-play announcer Kate Scott, who will be handling her first playoff game as the new voice of the team. Broadcasting beside her will be analyst Alaa Abdelnaby. Over on ESPN, Dave Pasch, Hubie Brown, and Cassidy Hubbarth will be calling the action.

NBC Sports Philadelphia will stream every Sixers-Raptors game it airs on both the NBC Sports app and the MyTeams app, but a subscription to a cable service is required. Fans in the Philadelphia metro area can also get NBC Sports Philadelphia on fuboTV, YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, and Sling TV.

Game 1 will also stream on the ESPN app, though a cable subscription is required. ESPN is also available to stream on every skinny bundle listed above, as well as DIRECTV Stream.

Inquirer staff writers Keith Pompey and Gina Mizell will be covering all the action on our Sixers liveblog. You can also find coverage of the game at Inquirer.com/Sixers and in our Sports Daily newsletter.

NBC Sports Philadelphia will kick off its coverage at 5:30 p.m. with Sixers Pregame Live, hosted by Amy Fadool alongside former Sixers coach Jim Lynam and former NBA player Marc Jackson. The three return following the game for Sixers Postgame Live, followed by Sixers Outsiders, hosted by 97.5 The Fanatic’s Tyrone Johnson and Krystie Rich.

On ESPN, coverage begins at noon with NBA Countdown, hosted by Mike Greenberg and featuring analysts Stephen A. Smith, Michael Wilbon, and Jalen Rose. Sixers-Raptors is the third NBA playoff game on ESPN’s schedule Saturday, following Jazz-Mavericks at 1 p.m. and TBD-Grizzlies at 3:30 p.m.

Sixteen teams will face off during the NBA playoffs — 12 from their regular season standings, and four from the league’s play-in tournament.

The Sixers are the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference, and if they defeat the Raptors they’ll face either the Miami Heat or the Atlanta Hawks.

Here is the full seeding for the Eastern Conference: