The Philadelphia 76ers squared off Wednesday night against the Toronto Raptors, who were looking to avenge their earlier loss to the Sixers just over a week ago. Both teams came into the contest off wins and looking to continue their winning ways. Philly notched a comeback win against the Los Angeles Clippers, while Toronto defeated the Charlotte Hornets on Monday night.
The Sixers were undermanned in this matchup with the Raptors missing Joel Embiid, Paul George, Kelly Oubre Jr., and Adem Bona. With the Raptors mostly healthy, they posed a problem with their length and athleticism.
The first few possessions of the game for the Sixers on offense saw the Raptors overplay Tyrese Maxey, but it didn’t take him long to find some comfort because of his shooting. He scored eight of their first 15 points of the quarter. Trendon Watford brought some energy off the bench to help Maxey with the scoring load and to help with ball-handling duties.
Missing two of their wings, the Sixers would have to deal with the Raptors' length, specifically Scottie Barnes and Brandon Ingram. Both of them were able to get to their respective spots on smaller defenders and rise up for mid-range or close shots, allowing them to take a five-point lead into the second quarter.
Jared McCain got some run late in the first quarter, spanning into the second quarter, giving Maxey an extended stint on the bench. McCain has not been able to crack the rotation coming back from both of his injuries, and he has struggled with his shot and confidence on the court. He ended up with a nice midrange and a deep three-pointer to build his confidence.
Jabari Walker provided a spark for the team to help with rebounding in his time off the bench while Andre Drummond rested. Toronto’s second-quarter spark came from Raptors center Jakob Poeltl, who scored 12 first-half points. He was an outlet for Ingram and Barnes when they were trapped in pick-and-roll actions. A nice team run to end the second quarter helped the Sixers take a 56-53 lead into halftime.
The third-quarter woes continued for this team. They have struggled coming out of the break almost every game to start the season. The Raptors started the third on a 10-2 run, which sparked them to push a lead to double digits, the first time for either team. The offense hit a lull, and with as many turnovers as they had, it was a recipe for disaster. The Raptors scored 44 points in the third and outscored the Sixers by 18, putting Toronto up 15 going into the final frame.
The fourth quarter started with the Sixers and Raptors trading buckets, but a personal VJ Edgecombe run, capped by a fastbreak dunk, ignited a Sixers run. They started the quarter on a 16-8 run and fought to cut the lead down to single digits. Quentin Grimes and VJ Edgecombe powered their offense, but their rally fell short. In the end, it was Immanuel Quickley who closed the Sixers out in the fourth quarter and made sure they weren’t a victim of another Philly fourth-quarter comeback.
Maxey (24 points and nine assists), Grimes (21 points), and Edgecombe (21 points, six rebounds, and four assists) paced the Sixers. The Raptors’ balanced scoring was led by Brandon Ingram and RJ Barrett, who each scored 22 points. The most important number for the game was the Sixers' 21 turnovers, several of which came in the third quarter, putting them in a hole.
Philadelphia travels to Milwaukee tomorrow night to face the Bucks to complete their fourth back-to-back of the young season. The Bucks are expected to be without superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo with tip-off slated for 8 p.m. EST.
