Leonard lights up Sixers
TORONTO — Another game, another seemingly easy 20-plus points for Kawhi Leonard.
The Raptors’ new star poured in 31 points on Tuesday to lead Toronto to a 129-112 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers, breaking a record in the process.
His six consecutive 20-plus point games to begin his Raptors career topped the previous record held by Rudy Gay.
Jonas Valanciunas had 23 points off the bench, while Kyle Lowry had 20 points and 12 assists for the Raptors (7-1), who remain undefeated at home. Serge Ibaka chipped in with 20 points, while Pascal Siakam had 15, and Danny Green finished with 10.
Joel Embiid led the Sixers (4-4) with 31 points.
Toronto and Philly were popular preseason picks to contend in the Eastern Conference. But the Raptors, motivated by Monday night’s loss at Milwaukee and happy to have Leonard back in the lineup after he missed that game, dominated for most of the night.
They led by 17 midway through the second quarter, and had stretched it to 112-103 to start the fourth.
A basket by Embiid pulled Philly to within nine points with 6:38 to play. But on the Sixers’ next possession, Lowry swatted the ball away from Embiid, and Green connected on a three-pointer and the Raptors were back up by 12.
The Sixers weren’t going down easy, and with 3:30 to play, Embiid drained a three that made it a six-point game. A Leonard three-pointer though capped a 7-0 run that brought the capacity crowd to its feet and put Toronto up by 13 with 1:56 to play. “M-V-P!” chants rang out on Leonard’s next trip down the court.
The victory was Toronto’s 12th straight at home versus Philly.
The Raptors were coming off their first loss of the season, dropping an ugly 124109 decision in Milwaukee the previous night. It marked the second game Leonard – who played just nine games last season in San Antonio due to injury – was held out for precautionary reasons.
“We are trying to be really smart with what we’re doing,” coach Nick Nurse said before the game. “If somebody were to knock on the door and tell me he’s not playing tonight, I’m going to go put somebody else in there and we’re going to go fight to win. It’s a long-term type of thing.”
Leonard headed to the locker-room with medical staff in the second quarter after he was swatted in the eye by Robert Covington, but was back on the floor five minutes later.
The Raptors aren’t back at Scotiabank Arena until Nov. 10. They head out on their first extended road trip of the season, which takes them through Phoenix, Los Angeles to play the Lakers, Utah and Sacramento. They host the New York Knicks in their next home game.