Sixers coverage on FortyEightMinutes.com is exclusively sponsored by the Borderline Restaurant in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Check them out on Facebook!
The Raptors pulled out a victory against the Sixers (110-103) in Tampa Bay and their defense at the end of the game deserves the kudos. The Sixers had a seven-minute stretch during the fourth quarter where they didn’t make a field goal.
While the Sixers credited the Raptors’ defense postgame, each of the team’s stars felt like they left meat on the bone offensively.
“We will take all those looks again in a heartbeat,” Tobias Harris told FortyEightMinutes and other reporters via zoom postgame.
Ben Simmons echoed that sentiment. Joel Embiid wasn’t shy about the offensive performance.
“I missed shots that I usually make,” Embiid said. “…truthfully, we just missed a lot of shots.”
The team will get another opportunity to take down the Raptors on Tuesday as the club finishes its two-game series in Tampa Bay.
More From Philadelphia
- Since OG Anunoby returned to the floor, the Raptors have employed more small-ball that see him and Pascal Siakam as the four and five. Rivers said that approach wasn’t an issue for the starting lineup with Joel Embiid; Rivers is comfortable with Embiid guarding guys in space. He mentioned that it was a bigger issue for the second-unit, inferring that it was problematic for Dwight Howard.
- Embiid on his defense of Siakam, who went 8-for-18 from the field: “I felt I did a great job. I don’t remember him scoring on me.” Embiid reiterated to me on Friday that one of his goals this season is to win the Defensive Player of the Year award.
- Rookie Isaiah Joe got some run ahead of Furkan Korkmaz and Rivers said the plan is to give Korkmaz’s minutes to Joe, for the time being, citing defense as the reason. “Just a look,” Rivers said. “Everybody earns their minutes. It’s always a fair competition. Right now, we’re going with Isaiah.”
