Toronto entered the 2022 draft coming off a 48-win season and a fifth-place finish in the Eastern Conference. Their reward was a first-round matchup against the fourth-seed Philadelphia 76ers, led by Joel Embiid, James Harden, and Tyrese Maxey. The series began poorly, with Philadelphia racing to a 3-0 lead behind blowout wins in Games 1 (20-point margin) and 2 (15-point margin). Game 3 went to overtime, but the Sixers edged Toronto in the final moments.