Last night saw the Sixers finally get some reinforcements after missing key players over the last couple of games. Seth Curry and Tobias Harris both returned to the lineup, but their presence wasn’t enough to secure a win.
The Sixers lead most of the game, but early in the third quarter, the Raptors team shifted to a hard 2-3 Zone that slowed the Sixers down and made scoring difficult. They were out scored 29-21 in the third.
Despite falling short, the team continued to show that ‘never give up’ attitude. A rally late in the fourth embodied that, with the team going on a 7-0 run, led by second year guard Tyrese Maxey. It was capped off with a late-game block from backup center Andre Drummond with a little over a minute left in the fourth.
The whole arena and television audience could see that Drummond’s block on Precious Achiuwa was clean. The call on the floor was a foul and forced head coach Doc Rivers to challenge the decision. Although the call went in favor of Sixers, the momentum shift vanished once Drummond lost the jump ball and Gary Trent Jr. hit a three in the right corner as shot clock runs out. A sight that Sixers fans have seen enough of for one lifetime.
The 76ers never recovered from that sequence. Bad execution, costly turnovers, bad shooting and a dagger three pointer from VanVleet meant that the Sixers ultimately lost to the Raptors 115-109. The Sixers are currently on a three game losing streak and visit the Indiana Pacers Saturday for another chance to right the ship.
Tobias Harris:
Tobias Harris returned after missing six games due to a positive COVID-19 test. In his return Harris was certainly not perfect, but there was nobody more eager to see the hardwood than the veteran forward.
Tobias started off quick in this game by hitting his first two shots. He ended 7-for-18 from the field en route to a 19 point, 7 assist, 7 rebound and 4 turnover night. It’s not shocking that fatigue and rust played a part in this game. The Sixers forward still logged 37 minutes last night showing he was more then ready to play. Although not a perfect night for Tobias, the veteran scorer still contributed with his playmaking and hit big shots throughout the game.
Tyrese Maxey:
The second year guard continues to shine in an expanded role this year. His scoring ability was on full display as he totalled a game-high 33 points. Maxey continues to contribute on both sides of the ball and ended up logging 39 minutes, going 12-for-19 from the field along with 2 blocks and a steal. He even made all 8 of his free throws.
Once the Raptors made their run and took the lead from the Sixers, Maxey stepped up and took on carry the scoring load of the team late in the game. Tyrese made some explosive plays in the Sixers 7-0 run to take the lead late.
Although the Sixers went on to lose, Maxey has now scored 30 points in back-to-back games, showing he can be a major contributor for this team once everyone is back.
Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire
