Raptors storm back from 22-point hole
SECOND-BIGGEST COMEBACK IN FRANCHISE HISTORY STUNS 76ers
On the tail end of a road back- toback, the Toronto Raptors were forced to clean up their own mess.
Facing a 76ers team without both Joel Embiid and J. J. Redick, the Raptors dug themselves a 22- point hole early in the third quarter and then worked their behinds off to get back in the game.
Much of the comeback came on the strength of Toronto’s reserves with Delon Wright coming up big with 12 points and four assists in a bench high 25 minutes. But to gain the win, it was back to the starters, and that meant more DeMar DeRozan and more Kyle Lowry. Lowry wound up with 23 points. But as DeRozan will tell anyone that will listen, he’ ll play the game that is needed and when it came down to crunch time it was the DeRozan of old getting to the line and converting from there that eventually put this one away in a 114-109 comefrom- behind win. He scored 45 points, 11 coming in that fourth quarter alone. It was his career high for points in a game. It also marked the 10th time in his career he has gone over the 40-point mark, something only Vince Carter can claim in a Raps uniform.
The comeback from 22 down matched the second-largest in team history and easily set the high for the season, with 17 being the previous biggest comeback in 2017.
The Raptors turned the ball over a season high 20 times and the Sixers returned the favour with 23 of their own, but it was exciting and the fifth in a row for the Raptors, who have now won 11 of the past 12.
The teams will go at it again on Saturday night at the Air Canada Centre.
JUST PLAY IT STRAIGHT
The Sixers are going to have to get a little more customer- friendly. Calling Embiid “probable” an hour before declaring him out like they did Thursday night is just not going to fly with the paying public.
Embiid has a back issue. That is not in dispute. But telling the public there’s a better than average chance he will play and then reversing that decision an hour later is going to upset a fan base that shows up at a game believing one scenario, only to be fed another.
This isn’t denying fans on the road the chance to see a legit NBA talent, this is mess- ing with your own fan base. It’s corporate stupidity and not even the must loyal fan will stand for this kind of treatment.
Chances are very good that anyone who bought a ticket to see Embiid in Toronto will also be disappointed but the Sixers aren’t going to sweat over that.
YES EMBIID, BUT DON’T FORGET SIMMONS
There’s no question Embiid is garnering the brunt of the attention in Philadelphia basketball circles, but Ben Simmons is healthier and good in his own right. Having sat out all of what would have been his first year in the league, Simmons is a polished rookie at just 21.
He’s still more of a pass- first guy, but at 6-foot-10 and playing point guard he poses a lot of problems to opposing teams.
“Size, his size,” Raptors head coach Dwane Casey said of the biggest problem Simmons poses. “His ability to handle the ball, change speeds, he’s got that down pat now where if you go under he beats you to the other side.”
Simmons was the lone remaining healthy marquee player active for the 76ers Thursday.