The Sixers needed a bounce-back game after their shocking loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Thankfully, Joel Embiid returned and provided the spark necessary to breathe life into the team.
A History Of Losing
History has been on Toronto’s side as of late. The Sixers have struggled mightily against the Raptors in recent years failing to even win more than one game in a season since the 2012-13 NBA season. Then of course there was the shot heard round the league in the 2019 NBA playoffs.
Starving to change things against their division rival, the Sixers had the motivation heading into the game. The game didn’t start the way the Sixers wanted though as the team was abysmal offensively.
Harris, Green, Simmons, everyone had trouble finding the bottom of the net while the Raptors rained down threes. At one point the Sixers only had three more made field goals than the Raptors had made three-pointers.
The Sixers were struggling and the game looked lost. The team needed a heroic performance and thankfully, they got one.
Embiid Saves The Sixers
Joel Embiid was on a mission, especially from the foul line. Finishing with 16 attempts (and 14 makes), Embiid had his way with opposing defenders.
He was hampered briefly by a lower-body injury but after a brief exit, Embiid was back in the game taking charge.
While Embiid stole the show, Tobias Harris acted as a quality Robin to Embiid’s Batman. Finishing with 26 points and 11 rebounds Harris looked the part of what the Sixers signed up for. Even more impressive is the efficiency with which he shot (11/20 from the field).
His major issue is still consistency but a positive performance is a positive performance. Harris is heavily criticized by Sixers’ fans (myself included) but the more games he strings together like this, the more he can silence that narrative.
The fight that the team showed to remain in, and eventually win this game is monumental. Doc Rivers has already changed things in Philadelphia and the future is brighter for it.
The Sixers will be back again on New Year’s Eve against an Orlando Magic team featuring a litany of former Sixers. Most notably, Markelle Fultz will be taking the court. While the team may not have much bad blood, the fanbase will be rooting heavily against the guard out of Washington.
The team should be riding high after this win. Hopefully, they can ride that momentum into another win on Thursday.
Photo by Kyle Ross/Icon Sportswire
