The Sixer Sense
Fansided

RECAP: Toronto Raptors 102, Philadelphia 76ers 86

By Bret Stuter

TORONTO, ON - DECEMBER 23 - Jonas Valenciunas of the Raptors tries to get past Joel Embiid of the 76ers during the 1st half of NBA action as the Toronto Raptors host the Philadelphia 76ers at the Air Canada Centre on December 23, 2017. (Carlos Osorio/Toronto Star via Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - DECEMBER 23 - Jonas Valenciunas of the Raptors tries to get past Joel Embiid of the 76ers during the 1st half of NBA action as the Toronto Raptors host the Philadelphia 76ers at the Air Canada Centre on December 23, 2017. (Carlos Osorio/Toronto Star via Getty Images) /
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Philadelphia 76ers streak and Toronto Raptors streaks continue. Raptors win their sixth, 76ers lose their fifth. Raptors 102 76ers 86

Brother, can I buy a win?  It seems as though the Philadelphia 76ers have taken off for Christmas vacation.   The team has lost its fifth straight, keeping with the theme of not playing well since December 2017 began. For this month, the 76ers are two wins and nine losses. And through it all, the losing streak is breaking the hearts of hopeful Philadelphia 76ers fans.

This was one more game with a very familiar theme: bad free throw shooting, poor three-point shooting, excessive turnovers, and committing too many fouls.  Same old same old.  The heartbreaking part is that this is the same contributors, the same “excuses”, and nothing changes.

And that hurts.

Turnovers and poor shooting remain the theme

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Four of five starters had three or more turnovers. Only Jerryd Bayless, with two turnovers, had fewer than three. Complicating the poor turnover performance, the team shot 65 percent from the foul line.

The Philadelphia 76ers had streaks within the streak. Surprisingly, on a night where Joel Embiid struggled and the team appeared listless, energy-packed Richaun Holmes gathered just four minutes.

Short of weapons

But the struggle of Joel Embiid was a result of Toronto double teaming.  Before the game, the team announced J.J. Redick would not play. Once more, the team played very short handed.

Entering the game, the Philadelphia 76ers did not have the services of J.J. Redick, Furkan Korkmaz, Markelle Fultz, Justin Anderson, plus that unfilled roster spot. So many charge the losses on the head coach Brett Brown.  I am surprised by this.

Bryan Colangelo neglecting the Philadelphia 76ers badly

Where is the outrage for a general manager who trades two players for one, and three weeks later has YET to fill the open roster spot?  That is compounded by the season ending injury to rookie wing Furkan Korkmaz. All the while, the team is battling injuries to the point where there team is only playing with 2/3rds of the roster healthy enough to play. Why are you content with this Philadelphia?

Asking for a friend.

C-. <span style=. PG. Philadelphia 76ers. BEN SIMMONS

C+. <span style=. F. Philadelphia 76ers. ROBERT COVINGTON

JERRYD BAYLESS. D-. 24 mins | 6 pts | 1 reb | 0 ast | 0 stl | 0 blk | 2 TO | 2-7 FG | 1-5 3PT| 1-1 FT | 5 PF | -9 +/-| <b>Summary</b>: Jerryd Bayless stepped into <a href=. G. Philadelphia 76ers

F. Philadelphia 76ers. DARIO SARIC. A. 33 mins | 17 pts | 6 reb | 5 ast | 2 stl | 0 blk | 3 TO | 5-12 FG | 3-5 3PT| 4-6 FT | -9 PF | 1 +/-| <strong>Summary: </strong><a rel=

B-. 23 mins | 14 pts | 8 reb | 2 ast | 0 stl | 3 blk | 5 TO | 5-13 FG | 1-4 3PT| 3-4 FT | 2 PF | -17 +/-| <strong>Summary</strong>: It was clear that Joel Embiid was back but not up to 100 percent. Still, how can you not be impressed by the young center who tried hard to turn the ship around for the team. He tried to keep the team close, but he had too little help and too many Raptors in his face.<br />. C. Philadelphia 76ers. JOEL EMBIID

Bonus Grade

B. 20 mins | 8 pts | 2 reb | 1 ast | 2 stl | 2 blk | 2 TO | 4-8 FG | 0-2 3PT| 0-0 FT | 2 PF | -17 +/-| <b>Summary</b>: TJ McConnell tried to be the spark tonight. He didn’t have much luck getting scores from his teammates, so he tried to alter the game on his own. His two steals and two blocks will fade in the course of this game, but it stood out to me as a young man trying to impact the game any way possible. PG. Philadelphia 76ers. TJ MCCONNELL

Quick Notes:

J.J. Redick’s hamstring injury could not happen at a worse time for the Philadelphia 76ers. Without him, the team has little perimeter threat.  That allows teams to double on Embiid routinely.

Markelle Fultz’s absence is a mystery. With an open roster spot since trading Jahlil Okafor and Nik Stauskas, the hope was for the team to see Fultz on the court sooner than later. Why trade two players who could contribute from an already thin roster?

Next: Dario Saric questions the Sixers’ toughness

Philadelphia president Bryan Colangelo’s contentment with an open roster spot through this 2 win 9 loss streak is thunderous neglect for a young team. Is the temptation for a high draft pick in a loaded 2018 NBA Draft too much to resist for the 76ers executive?

Previous Game Recaps:

L, New Orleans 131– Philadelphia 124

W, Philadelphia 118– Minnesota 112

L, Oklahoma City 119 — Philadelphia 117

Second L, Chicago 117 — Philadelphia 115

Third L, Sacramento 101 — Philadelphia 95

Fourth L, Toronto 114 — Philadelphia 109