The Raptors have won two straight in the series and jumped all over injured 76ers centre Joel Embiid and the disappointing James Harden to make Thursday night's game a necessity.
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The Toronto Raptors rode on Pascal Siakam’s all-round performance to blow away the Philadelphia 76ers 103-88 on Monday. The Raptors who were 3-0 down have now come back 3-2 and have forced game 6.
Pascal Siakam had 23 points and 10 rebounds and Precious Achiuwa scored 17.
“We always kind of figure it out,” Siakam said. No team has ever blown a 3-0 advantage and lost a playoff series.
The Raptors have won two straight in the series and jumped all over injured 76ers centre Joel Embiid and the disappointing James Harden to make Thursday night’s game a necessity.
Embiid had 20 points and 11 rebounds and Harden scored 15 points on 4-of-11 shooting.
“I was terrible defensively,” Embiid said. “There’s really no explanation. I’ve just got to play with more energy, move my feet better. I’ve just got to be better.”
The nerves in Philly are suddenly as tight as the rims.
“We never brought the fight to them at the beginning of the game, really,” 76ers forward Tobias Harris said.
The Sixers had a miserable first half. They finished with 10 turnovers and shot 35% from the floor. Their last bucket in the first quarter was one for the blooper reel: Matisse Thybulle’s missed shot bounced off the rim and was accidentally tipped in by Achiuwa.
And that looked like it sparked something in the Raptors as they went on and opened the second quarter on a 12-0 run to take control all while the Sixers missed their first nine shots. The Sixers didn’t score until 6:51 was left in the half. Scottie Barnes scored eight points in the quarter and the Raptors took a 54-41 lead at the break.
Doc Rivers said, “They were the tougher team all night, they were more physical all night. I don’t think it was the second quarter. I thought it was throughout the game.”
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The 76ers were booed off the court, their play a bleak reminder of recent postseason flameouts. Harden played the same night the All-Star he was traded for, Ben Simmons, was inactive for Brooklyn. Harden was barely more visible and missed 6 of 8 shots through three quarters, scoring nine points.
“It’s the same recipe. Don’t turn the ball over. Offensive rebound. We’ve definitely got to be better defensively,” he said. “There’s a reason we won three games in a row.”
OG Anunoby and Gary Trent Jr. each scored 16 points for the Raptors.
