Sixers down Raptors to level series, Nuggets beat Blazers

LOS ANGELES: Jimmy Butler scored 30 points as the Philadelphia 76ers turned the tables on the Raptors in Toronto on Monday with a 94-89 victory that knotted their NBA playoff series at one game each.

The 76ers, beaten 108-95 in the Eastern Conference second-round series opener, thwarted the Raptors' second-half comeback bid, notching their first win in Toronto since November 2012 to head home for game three on Thursday all square.

Butler added 11 rebounds and handed out five assists for the Sixers, who led 51-38 at halftime despite 13 firsthalf turnovers.

The Raptors, who trailed by as many as 19 in the first half, closed the deficit to 6160 late in the third quarter.

But they missed six of their first seven shots in the final period and the 76ers held on for the win.

Butler scored 12 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter. That included a three-pointer off an assist from center Joel Embiid that put the Sixers up 88-81 with 2:14 to play.

"My team had a lot of faith in me tonight," said Butler, who scored just 10 points in game one. "I told them I had to come out and redeem myself.

"More than anything we got back, we guarded," Butler added, saying defense would be key going forward in the series.

"When we let our defense dictate our offense we're such a great team," he said. "We can't let it be the other way around."

Sixers coach Brett Brown praised Butler as the team's "rock."

"That was James Butler," Brown said. "That was the adult in the gym."