Ibaka leads charge lifting Raptors over Philadelphia
Banged-up Sixers let early lead slip away as Toronto gets eighth win in nine games
RAPTORS 113 , 76ERS 105
Serge Ibaka scored 24 points and DeMar DeRozan added 17 to help the Toronto Raptors defeat the injury-riddled Philadelphia 76ers 113-105 on Sunday.
Ibaka missed his first five shots on the night then hit his next nine. He had 18 points in a first half that saw DeRozan playing provider, with more assists (eight) than points (six).
Ibaka, who also had four blocked shots in the first quarter, enjoyed his highest-scoring night as a Raptor. His previous Toronto best was 22. His career high is 31 with Orlando.
The Raptors led 86-76 going into the final quarter, using their bench liberally in the final frame as Philadelphia cut into a lead that was as high as 17.
French rookie Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, who was averaging 5.3 points a game, had a career-high 23 points to lead Philadelphia. The 21-year-old guard had 11 in the first quarter alone after hitting three three-pointers.
Croatian forward Dario Saric, who missed his first six shots before landing a three in the third quarter, added 16 points for the Sixers. Nik Stauskas, a native of Mississauga, Ont., contributed 14.
The 76ers finished with 21 turnovers, which yielded 29 points for the Raptors.
Toronto (47-30) has won eight of its last nine games. The Raptors also extended their home winning streak over Philadelphia (28-49) to nine games. Their last loss to the Sixers at the Air Canada Centre was Nov. 10, 2012.
Toronto was without forward P.J. Tucker (sore left knee) and Kyle Lowry, who is nearing a return from a wrist injury that has kept him out since the all-star break.
The Sixers’ injury list is far longer, including Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons, Jahlil Okafor, Robert Covington, Jerryd Bayless and Sergio Rodriguez. Philadelphia dressed 10 players after fielding just nine in Friday’s 122-105 loss in Cleveland and all 10 saw action in the first quarter.
Saric, hampered by left heel soreness, was operating under a guideline limit of 24 minutes playing time Sunday. He saw 23 minutes of action.
“I’m assuming it took (PR director) Mike Preston what, five minutes to go through the injury list?” Philadelphia head coach Brett Brown said before the game.
The 76ers signed power forward Alex Poythress on Sunday, using the league’s injury hardship exception. Brown said the team may ask for more injury help.
Still, Toronto head coach Dwane Casey saluted Philadelphia, which is close to tripling its 10 wins of a year ago, before the game.
“They’re well on their way to building something special with the type of talent that they’ve accumulated there,” he said.
Stauskas had some slippery moments in one first-quarter sequence, playing with one shoe after losing the other.
Philadelphia led 29-28 after the first quarter in a game that saw some streaky shooting. Toronto pulled ahead in the second, ending the half on a 15-6 run to lead 59-49. The Raptors shot 56.8 per cent in the half.
The Sixers defeated Toronto 9489 the last time they met in Philadelphia on Jan. 18.
“It really does feel like a very, very, very long time ago,” Brown said when reminded of the changes in his lineup since then.