Raptors 111, 76ers 117: Toronto fails to comeback late in fourth
The Toronto Raptors fail to come back against the Philadelphia 76ers for their third loss in four games. Can the Raptors end this recent streak of poor play?
The Philadelphia 76ers dominated the Toronto Raptors for three-quarters on Monday afternoon. While the Raptors gave a valiant effort late in the fourth quarter, it was not enough, as they fell to the 76ers for their third loss in four games.
The game started out with Philadelphia taking the lead early, and holding it throughout the game. During the entire 48-minute contest the Raptors did not lead once and did not even tie the game after the 8:59 mark in the first quarter.
At one point late in the third quarter the lead reached 21-points for the 76ers, and it looked as if the Raptors were calling defeat. To the Raptors credit, that never happened. Toronto stormed back, cutting the lead all the way down to one, after a silky-smooth DeMar DeRozan jumper with 3:03 remaining.
Ultimately the comeback proved to be not enough. A couple of huge plays from rookie Ben Simmons helped the 76ers hold off Toronto for a critical six point victory.
A large part of the Raptor’s problems on the offensive end came from an inability to shoot the ball. Toronto shot 9-of-32 from three-point range, and didn’t make a three the entire first half.
Kyle Lowry and C.J. Miles struggled particularly this game. The two combined to shoot 6-of-26 from the field, below 25-percent, while each turning the ball over multiple times as well. Both players had a couple of nice plays late, but it was not enough to overcome their poor performance throughout.
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Lowry and Miles struggled throughout the game, but it pales in comparison to the performance from Jonas Valanciunas. Valanciunas went one-on-one with Embiid often and often Embiid won. Embiid dominated Valanciunas when both players shared the court and as a result Valanciunas only played 13 minutes. It was a tough matchup for Valanciunas, no doubt, but the Raptors have come to expect more from their $64-million dollar man.
While the veterans struggled, the Raptors did receive two positive performances from Pascal Siakam and Delon Wright. Both Wright and Siakam provided the Raptors with efficient scoring, solid floor games, and great intensity on the defensive end.
Meanwhile, the 76ers two best performers were Joel Embiid, who dropped 31 on greater than 50-percent shooting, and T.J. McConnell who scored 18, grabbed six rebounds, and dished out eight dimes.
While Toronto had a chance late in the fourth quarter, their execution through the first three-quarters is what cost them the game. Trailing by 18 heading into the fourth quarter is not a recipe for success, and if it weren’t for Philadelphia’s youth and a couple of careless turnovers the game wouldn’t have been close.
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The loss marks the third in four games for the Toronto Raptors who will face another struggling opponent, the Detroit Pistons, for a 7:30 PM ET tip at the Air Canada Centre.