Five things you need to know about the 76ers today

Five things you need to know about the 76ers today:

1.  The Sixers will try to do something tonight that they haven't accomplished since the 2013-14 season: extend their winning streak to at least three games. Back then, the Sixers went on to win four straight games, beating the Los Angeles Lakers (Dec. 29, 2013), the Denver Nuggets (Jan. 1, 2014), the Sacramento Kings (Jan. 2, 2014), and the Portland Trail Blazers (Jan. 4, 2014).

2. A victory over the Toronto Raptors tonight will be far from easy.  The Sixers are  8 ½-point underdogs at home. That makes a lot of sense, considering the Raptors won the last 13 series meetings in what have mostly been blowouts.

3. Ersan Ilyasova's  game has gone back in time. The Sixers power forward is averaging 14.2 points and 6.4 rebounds in the 21 games since being acquired in a trade from the Oklahoma City Thunder.  He had averaged a career-high 13.2 points during the 2012-13  season as a Milwaukee Buck.

4.  It appears the Sixers will have a tough time staying out of the NBA basement – at least for the time being.  Despite winning back-to-back games, they are tied for last place with the Dallas Mavericks with 6-18 records.

5.  Ilyasova quietly has an impressive streak going on. He has made at least one three-pointer in 21 consecutive games dating back to Nov. 2.

Follow and contact 76ers beat writer Keith Pompey on Twitter and on Instagram at PompeyOnSixers.