In the end, despite having more points and rebounds during the regular season, LeBron James failed to get a win against Toronto in Game 1 of their second round matchup. In this article, we examine three underlying observations from that matchup.
The “where are the raptors playing” is a question that I have been asked multiple times. The Raptors played in Toronto, Ontario, Canada against the Washington Wizards.
On Thursday, the Philadelphia 76ers wrapped off their homestand with a game against the Toronto Raptors. The Sixers were once again in a nail-biter down the line, but this time they came up short. The Raptors defeated the Sixers 115-109 to extend their losing run to three games.
Here are some takeaways from the Sixers’ most recent loss.
3. In turn, Tobias Harris was remarkable.
After a week of playing with a very depleted roster, the Sixers are slowly receiving reinforcements. Harris had been cleared from health and safety processes before to the tip-off on Thursday. Harris made a very impressive comeback to play after missing just six games.
He had 19 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists in slightly over 36 minutes. He didn’t shoot the ball as well as we’re used to seeing him, but that was to be expected from someone who had been out for so long.
Harris’ comeback should be regarded as a near-perfect triumph for the Sixers. He was able to play heavy minutes, move effectively up and down the floor, and put up big numbers in the box score. While other players have struggled after returning from an extended layoff, the Sixers’ star forward was not one of them.
2. Tyrese Maxey is a real person.
Maxey was the Sixers’ best player in their last battle against the Milwaukee Bucks, and he was undoubtedly the best again against the Raptors. With his enlarged role this season, the second-year guard continues to wow.
For the second game in a row, Maxey led the Sixers in scoring, posting a season-high 33 points. To go along with his scoring, the 21-year-old added four rebounds, five assists, one steal, and two blocks.
His ability to get to the free throw line stood out the most in this performance. Maxey isn’t known for getting a lot of whistles, but he went downward against the Raptors and got to the line a team-high eight times.
Many questioned if Maxey would be able to make the breakthrough the Sixers need at the start of the season. The young guard is ready to take on any task thrown in front of him based on his current streak.
1. Once again, I’ve come up short.
Despite unfavorable conditions, the Sixers have done a fantastic job of remaining competitive. However, their limited roster has become an obvious problem down the stretch of games.
The Sixers deserve a lot of credit for their tenacity; in their last three games, they’ve battled until the last buzzer. They haven’t been able to avoid tiredness despite their earnest attempts.
The Sixers are beginning to feel the effects of having to play heavy minutes in successive games. Guys have seemed to be gassed, which has hampered their performance. The Raptors are a hard-working club that will not be outworked. If you can’t match their intensity, they’re almost tough to defeat.
This will be a non-issue once the Sixers get back to full strength. The issue is how much longer the club can hold out before the extra wear and strain takes its toll on the roster.
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