Sixers flash potential in loss to rolling Raps
Toronto is a juggernaut now, but Philly might be someday soon
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 without the walking boot he had been wearing since breaking his foot during training camp, something head coach Brett Brown called a “significant development.”
“He walked out on the court in sneakers,” Brown said. “And he shot free throws. So, that is significant to me. You’re like, ‘I got ya. Here we go.’ ”
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 after.
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.
The NBA and its players’ association also announced a tentative agreement on a new labour deal, ensuring the Sixers can continue to watch its stable of young talent develop and make its mark for years to come. 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 a team to reckon with.
In the present, the Raptors are an Eastern Conference juggernaut, with the deadliest offence in the 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. His backup, Cory Joseph, was also 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. But they weren’t satisfied.
“We’re not good enough to let up, relax. Every team in this league can come back and get you, that’s what was upsetting about a pretty good-going game until the fourth,” Casey said.
One of the game’s interesting sub-plots was the starting matchup at power forward which featured Embiid going up against countryman Pascal Siakam, the Raptors rookie. They are only the third and fourth players from Cameroon to make the NBA.
“It’s great for the continent, it’s great for the country,” Siakam said. “Hopefully, guys in Africa can see that (matchup) and keep working and instead of two, three (players from Cameroon), we have five, six, seven.”
That day will likely come. For now, the Raptors have an unexpected starter and the Sixers have a potential superstar. And the NBA has labour peace. A good day for everybody.