Well, the good news is this won’t be the loss this city is most mad about today.
The Sixers blew a four-point lead with 19 seconds left in regulation, falling 116-115 to the Toronto Raptors in overtime
Sunday night.
Tyrese Maxey shook off a bad first half for the second straight game, leading all scorers with 38 including a stepback three that should have been the dagger with 19 seconds remaining in regulation.
VJ Edgecombe had his quietest night in some time even with his tying three in OT, having 17 points on 6-of-19 shooting with four assists. Kelly Oubre Jr had his best game since returning from injury with 13 points and seven stocks but a crucial foul late.
Scottie Barnes led the Raptors with 31 including the game-winning free throw.
On the front end of a back-to-back Joel Embiid was out with left knee injury management and a groin strain, and Paul George was a very late scratch while Toronto was without Brandon Ingram, RJ Barrett and Jakob Poeltl.
Here are some thoughts at the buzzer.
First Quarter
- Hopefully the Sixers wear their ‘01 throwbacks in tomorrow’s contest as well since the Raptors will be wearing their throwback city editions and court from a similar era. The black jerseys don’t look as nice as the purple ones in this humble blog’s opinion.
- It was another poor start shooting the ball. The first six points of the game being provided by Dominick Barlow while the rest of the Sixers opened the game 0-of-7 from the floor. Barnes led the charge on the other end to give Toronto a small early lead.
- A really nice ATO was drawn up to get Adem Bona an easy layup, but that did not seem to get the offense going. Maxey missed his first four shots of the game and split a pair the first time he got to the free throw line.
- Outside of Barnes the Raptors were shooting just as poorly, finishing at 29.6% from the floor in the quarter. The Sixers mainly made up ground with putbacks. Jabari Walker put in good early work on the offensive glass. Something finally opened up when Quentin Grimes found a wide open lane coming off a screen, helping himself to a wide open dunk. Maxey finally got to the hoop for a layup, and Jared McCain knocked down the game’s first three of the night when the ball was swung to him to give the Sixers a three-point lead as the quarter ended.
Second Quarter
- Not much had changed as the Sixers only field goal for the first three minutes of the second was a layup Walker putback. Both of McCain’s good looks missed but were eventually turned into his second chance points. He did hit a really tough scoop layup wrapping all the way around his defender but that was amidst an 11-2 Raptors’ run.
- It’s crazy just how long the Sixers’ transition defense has felt like a mess. Over halfway through the second and the Raptors had turned over 50% of their defensive rebounds into transition plays, per Cleaning the Glass, which they also saw would be amongst the highest rates in the league.
- Trendon Watford got his first non-garbage time minutes since returning from injury, checking in with a little under five minutes to go. He was out there for just a couple of minutes, picking up a rebound and a hockey assist as Maxey hit his first three of the night.
- Maxey was not only still struggling though, but he got banged up a bit after colliding with Alijah Martin. He limped off the floor into the timeout but remained in the game. He looked good coming out of that break, following a Oubre drive with two baskets off drives of his own. The Raptors quickly stomped out the 7-2 Sixers run that was forming. It took a goaltended putback by Grimes to cut the Raptors’ lead to 10 at the half.
Third Quarter
- That break seemed to revitalize the Sixers for the second game in a row. Oubre quickly scored the first seven points of the half, nabbing an inbounds steal for a fast break layup after a couple baskets in the half court. Even when he fouled Immanuel Quickley shooting a three, Quickley managed to miss two of those free throws. Suddenly it was the Sixers controlling the pace of the game and, after making nine of their first eleven shots of the second half, they had erased the deficit.
- Both offenses cooled down considerably after that flurry. Trying to match Walker’s energy, Adem Bona also had a feisty stretch on the offensive glass drawing a couple of fouls. He was rewarded with a rolling basket but did get caught for a goaltend trying to block Martin’s shot coming down the floor.
- Oubre has really impressively blocked a few three-pointers since returning, getting one in the first this time. Late in the third he got up to meet Gradey Dick at the rim and block his dunk — it was his third block of the night which set a season-high for him. The Raptors only scored one field goal since that goaltended layup at the 4:28 mark, helping the Sixers take an eight-point lead.
Fourth Quarter
- All that momentum completely swung though with the Raptors opening the fourth on a 12-2 run. Three quick turnovers helped them take control of the pace, and four offensive rebounds had the Sixers playing really long defensive possessions.
- It seemed like the Sixers might have been better off matching Toronto’s smaller, quicker lineup and Bona picked up his second block of the game quickly upon returning to the game. Not only did Barlow shortly do the same, but picked up a steal and a fast break dunk to put the Sixers in front just slightly once again.
- Edgecombe’s slow start didn’t deter him, but he couldn’t come up with the heroics that have somehow been the early norm. Not only did he not make a field goal in the fourth but he continued to turn the ball over as well. A couple of strong drives from Barnes tied the game back up with two and a half minutes left.
- As a team the Sixers didn’t score a field goal since a Bona hook shot with 4:32 to go. Maxey was only able to split his pair at the line when he drew a foul on Quickley. Barnes once again went right to the rack, throwing a layup in over both Sixers’ bigs.
- After a couple more possessions on the seesaw, Barnes traveled down with 37 seconds to go. Maxey took it himself for the fourth straight possession and nailed a stepback three in Barnes’ face. Jamal Shead’s three in response didn’t fall, but after using a challenge to retain possession, Quickley hit one from the corner with his foot on the line. Edgecombe couldn’t corral a hectic inbound giving possession right back to Toronto.
- Again, the Raptors got two cracks to tie or take the lead thanks to Bona not being able to hold on to the rebound of a missed Quickley jumper. They inbounded to Collin Murray-Boyles who was well covered, but the double he drew opened up Shead to tie the game up. Grimes’ heave was way off completing the 19-second collapse.
Overtime
- Both teams turning it over on their first possession followed by a split pair of free throws felt like a fitting way to start the extra period. Edgecombe finally got another basket to fall, getting all the way to the hoop for a layup. Maxey followed with a turnaround jumper and Edgecombe made up for turning the ball over with a strong contest on Quickley’s missed fast break layup.
- The Sixers continued to get crushed on the offensive glass, getting boxed out at every turn. Toronto had 18 offensive rebounds to finish with 29 second chance points. After one allowed for another Shead three to cut the lead to one, they got CMB wide open in the dunker on back-to-back possessions to take a three-point lead.
- For as many close games the Sixers have been in their offense down the stretch routinely feels sloppy. They tried to get a quick two, but drew the foul on the floor with the Raptors having one to give. That didn’t seem to matter though as Edgecombe dribbled out a broken possession and buried a contested three to tie the game at 15 seconds left.
- Barnes got his switch onto Maxey, who was able to foul him with 6 seconds left with their one to give. They went right back to him and he tied himself up with Oubre. Their arms were locked but Oubre’s shove couldn’t go uncalled, giving the Raptors a one-point lead. Barnes wisely intentionally missed the second free throw to let the 0.8 remaining seconds expire.
