GRADES: Sixers can’t seal the deal vs. Raptors

The Sixers welcomed the Toronto Raptors to the Wells Fargo Center for their first matchup of the year, and both teams were missing their best players. With no Joel Embiid and no Pascal Siakam, other players would have to step up for their respective teams. Both teams were trying to snap a losing streak.

After missing multiple games due to COVID, Tobias Harris attempted to establish his presence on the Sixers’ offense early. A bit rusty, Harris kept firing to try and get into a steady flow. Danny Green also looked for his shots early, firing away from the 3-point line. The first quarter saw some great play by Tyrese Maxey, whose offensive aggression led the Sixers on a 16-4 run.

Furkan Korkmaz shot better than in previous quarters, nailing a few 3-pointers. The other sharp shooter for Philly, Seth Curry, struggled with his perimeter scoring in the first half. That pattern continued throughout the game.

On Toronto’s side, Fred VanVleet played like he still had a chip on his shoulder after going undrafted in 2016. He controlled the pace for the Raptors, while his rookie teammate, Scottie Barnes scored as if he is a serious candidate for the NBA Rookie of the Year Award.

Defensively, the Sixers relied heavily on Andre Drummond and Paul Reed to pick up the slack in Joel Embiid’s absence. There were quite a few series where they collected impressive blocks in the paint. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to stop Nick Nurse’s team from going on a huge run in the third quarter.

Toronto took control of the game after halftime, expanding a comfortable lead as they went on a 24-9 run. Had Matisse Thybulle played, it could have assisted the perimeter defense of the Sixers, but he was unavailable to play, and Toronto treated the paint like a revolving door. At one point, the game looked to be getting away from Doc Rivers’ team.

Yet, before you could say “Kentucky Wildcat”, Tyrese Maxey came out and attacked the basket as if possessed. He scored on drives and feasted at the line, as Shake Milton contributed to a Sixers comeback with several big buckets.

The score tightened, and then Philly finally took the lead after a nice series from Andre Drummond who scored on a put back and then made a huge block to preserve the lead.

After some careless turnovers in the final few minutes, the momentum seemed to shift back to Toronto. Like recent championship teams do, the Raptors kept their composure and executed when they needed to the most. Then, Doc Rivers put the ball in Tobias Harris’s hands, where he nailed a much needed 3-pointer, and it gave the Sixers a sliver of hope.

At the end of the night though, Fred VanVleet stabbed the Sixers’ run through the heart with a spot up 3-pointer that put the game away for good. A drive attempt by Harris that was blocked under a minute crushed the 76ers’ hopes and ultimately buried any chance for Philly to snap their losing streak.

Grades from Sixers’ 115-109 loss to Toronto Raptors

• Tyrese Maxey: A

40 mins | 33 pts | 4 reb | 5 ast | 1 stl | 2 blk | 2 TO | 12-19 FG | 1-3 3PT| 8-8 FT | 2 PF | -9

The sophomore sensation did not disappoint in this game. The problem? He could not lead the team to a victory. Maxey did everything he could to bring his team back after falling behind in the third quarter. He just did not have enough help. Scoring in a number of ways, Maxey showed fans a nice glimpse at what the future holds as Ben Simmons’ days as a 76er fade on the horizon of the trade deadline.

• Tobias Harris: C-

37 mins | 19 pts | 7 reb | 7 ast | 0 stl | 1 blk | 4 TO | 7-18 FG | 1-6 3PT| 4-4 FT | 3 PF | -9

On any other night, Tobias Harris would have earned a D after such a horrid shooting performance. To his credit, he returned after shaking off COVID and two weeks of not playing competitive basketball. His play was up and down throughout the game. On stretches, he’d attack the rim and score like he normally would. Yet, he’d play series that ended in a poor shot or ugly turnover. Not his best night, but Harris should improve as he gets his legs back under him.

• Seth Curry: C-

36 mins | 15 pts | 6 reb | 4 ast | 1 stl | 0 blk | 2 TO | 4-12 FG | 2-5 3PT| 5-5 FT | 0 PF | -1

When the team needed him to have a big game like in last year’s playoffs, Seth Curry came up short. He played like he had magnets in his sneakers and the floor was made of metal. His rebounding and assist numbers were decent, but his shooting percentage put a hole in the Sixers’ offense that was not filled by any other starter outside of Maxey. We can expect better play from Curry, but can he deliver to help stop this losing skid?

• Furkan Korkmaz: D+

27 mins | 9 pts | 5 reb | 5 ast | 0 stl | 0 blk | 0 TO | 3-11 FG | 3-11 3PT| 0-0 FT | 1 PF | -2

Just when you think you can roll with Furkan Korkmaz, he hits a speed bump that makes you hit your head and throws off the team’s wheel alignment. Why can’t Korkmaz just hit cruise control and have a steady stretch of games? There are those who excuse his inconsistency and label him a “streaky” shooter. Call it what you will, but one thing is for sure – if Korkmaz wants to elevate his game to the next level, he must be a constant force of offense for the second unit to excel.

• Shake Milton: B+

17 mins | 12 pts | 2 reb | 0 ast | 0 stl | 0 blk | 2 TO | 5-6 FG | 1-2 3PT| 1-2 FT | 2 PF | -9

This was another solid game for Shake Milton. In eight games, he is averaging 12.5 points and almost four boards and four assists on 26 minutes a night. Not bad for a player who missed the start of the season due to injury. The bad news for Milton in this game is that he was not given more minutes. Doc Rivers should be happy that his backup point guard is getting into a groove. They will need him on nights when Georges Niang and Furkan Korkmaz can’t find their shots.

The 76ers fall to 8-5 on the season. Their next game is Saturday night in Indiana versus the Pacers at 7 PM EST.