Sixers show potential in loss to Raps
Toronto is a juggernaut now, but someday soon Philly might be
The 76ers have not had many good days over the past few seasons, but Tuesday and Wednesday were exceptions.
The 6-19 team took mighty Toronto all the way down to the wire before falling 123-114
A day before that, there was 2016 No. 1 pick Ben Simmons showing up at practice sans the walking boot he had been wearing since breaking his foot during training camp, something head coach Brett Brown called a “significant development.” Then Brown started rookie of the year favourite Joel Embiid and 2015 No. 3 selection Jahlil Okafor alongside each other in a massive frontcourt for the first time. And the Sixers kept it close against the NBA’s hottest team, creeping within six with under a minute remaining after the Raptors had seen much of an 18-point advantage go up in smoke while steam came out of the ears of coach Dwane Casey.
“We took our foot off the gas pedal and you can’t do that in this league,” Casey said afterward.
Okafor finished with 17 points, Embiid with nine, plus six rebounds and five assists in what he said was a disappointing performance, which illustrates his immense potential.
Plus the NBA and its players’ association announced a tentative agreement on a new labour deal, ensuring the Sixers would be able to continue to watch its stable of young talent develop and make its mark for years to come.
“He walked out on the court in sneakers,” Brown said of Simmons. “And he shot free throws. So, that is significant to me. You’re like, ‘I got ya. Here we go.’”
There is still a long way to go in Philadelphia, of course — Nerlens Noel didn’t play due to an ankle sprain and there is still no timetable for a Simmons return — but finally, there is some intrigue and hope.
As Brown pointed out, two of his star big men are only 22 and Okafor turns 21 on Thursday. Other pieces are in place with more high draft picks on the way. Eventually, this should be something to reckon with.
But in the present, the Raptors are an Eastern juggernaut, with the deadliest offence in the entire NBA. DeMar DeRozan did a bit of a Kobe Bryant impression in Bryant’s hometown, making tough shots off of pretty footwork, while mixing in an impressive cram over Okafor. Lowry starred in his hometown — on his mother’s birthday no less — hitting a three-pointer while being fouled for the third time in four games and his backup, Cory Joseph, was stellar.
DeRozan was spectacular, before being rested in the fourth with the game seemingly in hand, but Lowry, who had hit all six of his three-point attempts the last time he played the Sixers, was his equal. Lowry made five more threes, handed out seven assists without a single turnover and is now shooting just shy of 60 per cent from three over Toronto’s past 10 games, all but one of them victories. The Raptors improved to 18-7 and will play host to Atlanta on Friday.