Raptors Keep Coming Up Short in Loss to 76ers
The game began ideally for Toronto. The Raptors opened strong, with Immanuel Quickley draining three early triples and Scottie Barnes holding his own against Joel Embiid. Ochai Agbaji stepped into the starting lineup for the injured Jakob Poeltl, providing solid energy.
Beyond the hardwood, nostalgia set the tone as the 76ers took the court wearing their Iverson-era black jerseys, matched perfectly with a retro court design. Philadelphia kept pace through the opening minutes, edging ahead 17-15 in the initial burst of action.
Trendon Watford made his presence known early, putting up seven points and grabbing two offensive rebounds. Taking advantage of the defensive attention directed elsewhere, he made smart plays to keep Toronto’s offense flowing. On the other side, the Sixers prioritized finding Tyrese Maxey—the NBA’s leading scorer—and his touches sustained their rhythm throughout the quarter.
Toronto responded when Jamal Shead knocked down a pair of triples, followed by one from RJ Barrett, giving the Raptors a spark and temporary lead. The rotation adjustments paid off briefly; when Sandro Mamukelashvili entered, Maxey had taller defenders to face, but the Raptors found better spacing and ball movement.
“Ten of their first eleven made baskets were assisted.”
That ball-sharing led to efficient possessions and improved offensive coordination. Collin Murray-Boyles also checked in early from the bench and impressed immediately with his defensive activity. He stripped Kelly Oubre Jr. in transition, pressured the ball effectively, rolled well to the rim, and moved it quickly when needed.
The reworked rotation injected fresh energy into Toronto’s lineup, offering glimpses of potential even in defeat.
Author’s Summary
The Raptors displayed early cohesion and depth rotations against the 76ers, but Philadelphia’s steady scoring and timely adjustments proved too much down the stretch.