3 teams looking to win in Game 6

The Philadelphia 76ers were up 3-0 in their series against the Toronto Raptors just a few days ago. The lead has since been sliced to 3-2.

That is waking up some echoes for 76ers coach Doc Rivers. He’s the only coach in NBA history to lose three series in which his team had a 3-1 lead. No coach in NBA history has ever been on the losing end of a series after leading 3-0, either.

But Rivers and the 76ers haven’t put the Raptors away yet, and now face a Game 6 in Toronto on Thursday night with hopes of avoiding a winnertake-all Game 7 in Philadelphia on Saturday.

“Let’s win it,” Rivers said. “Then we don’t have to talk about it.”

The 76ers are one of three teams that will take 3-2 leads on the road Thursday night, when a trio of Game 6’s are on tap. The others are Western Conference matchups: Top-seeded Phoenix will try to close out New Orleans, and fourth-seeded Dallas has a chance to eliminate fifth-seeded Utah.

Philadelphia’s lead looks far more tenuous than the ones held by Phoenix and Dallas. The Suns and Mavericks are coming off double-digit home wins that gave the appearance of them gaining control of those respective matchups.

But the 76ers are hurting, most notably because center Joel Embiid has a torn thumb ligament.

And two closeout opportunities have already come and gone, which is why Rivers was getting questions Wednesday about those past 3-1 leads that haven’t worked out.

The Raptors, meanwhile, continue to believe they can make history. Only three teams have come back from a 3-0 deficit to force a Game 7 in the NBA. None has gone on to win the series; if Toronto pulls this off, it would meet Miami in the East semifinals beginning Monday.