 | Raptors | 93 | Final Box Score | 88 | 76ers |  |
 A | P. Siakam36 MIN, 26 PTS, 10 REB, 5 AST, 0 STL, 10-20 FG, 1-3 3FG, 5-6 FT, 0 BLK, 3 TO, -5 +/- Normal star stuff. He passed well, which really greased the offensive wheels. Fantastic hit-aheads in transition, especially. After Toronto’s meandering start, he cleaned up his offense, even taking it right at Embiid in isolation and dropping in a hook over him (whew). Tough finishes in transition. His spin moves were completely unguardable. When his jumpers and drives started working in the second half it was business time. Defensively, rotated pretty slow in the beginning but really fixed it up as the game went on. Was the only one to hit his clutch free throws, lol. | |
 A+ | P. Achiuwa34 MIN, 21 PTS, 9 REB, 1 AST, 0 STL, 9-15 FG, 2-4 3FG, 1-2 FT, 0 BLK, 0 TO, +7 +/- Given the defensive-stopper role (which he performed perfectly) against the Sixers’ stars late, he was probably Toronto’s best player. Active and aggressive, stealing away offensive rebounds from players in much better position. Ran the floor. Finished at the rim. Hit some triples! Hit his pull-up jumpers, too, which is a really nice development that feels quite recent. Defensively, he had some of Toronto’s better efforts against Embiid, really standing him up and forcing away-from-the-basket attempts. Also did great against Harden on switches. Maybe the best game of his career. | |
 B- | S. Barnes42 MIN, 13 PTS, 6 REB, 4 AST, 1 STL, 6-21 FG, 1-5 3FG, 0-3 FT, 0 BLK, 2 TO, +5 +/- He was really inactive on the defensive end early, which hurt Toronto, especially on the defensive glass and giving up interior passes. Got lost rotating, didn’t know who to close to. It was ugly. His short jumpers and push shots that usually fall did not. Still created good looks, which is ultimately the most important component in the long run, but they didn’t fall here. Needless turnovers in the backcourt. He still had some visionary passes, a made triple, and some solid on-ball defensive stands, so it wasn’t all bad. | |
 B- | K. Birch22 MIN, 4 PTS, 6 REB, 0 AST, 0 STL, 1-6 FG, 0-1 3FG, 2-2 FT, 1 BLK, 0 TO, -16 +/- He blocked a Harden euro/rip-through, which is pretty, pretty rare. Wasn’t fantastic against Embiid in the first half, but he was much cleaner in the second (when Achiuwa didn’t start — so he had to be). Chased offensive rebounds, just like the rest of the squad. Really wasn’t a huge factor though. | |
 C+ | G. Trent Jr.34 MIN, 9 PTS, 2 REB, 3 AST, 1 STL, 2-13 FG, 0-4 3FG, 5-6 FT, 0 BLK, 0 TO, -5 +/- Never found his rhythm. Really awkward timing on some of his releases, and he was never comfortable with all the Sixers’ length on the floor. Had an enormously clutch steal with 30 seconds remaining to ice the win (called back with a stupid call / challenge, but the steal remained awesome). | |
 D | T. Young19 MIN, 2 PTS, 7 REB, 3 AST, 1 STL, 1-2 FG, 0-1 3FG, 0-0 FT, 2 BLK, 2 TO, +13 +/- Kind of a ballstopper, and he overdribbled at times in the middle of the floor. Unnecessary turnovers. Not as advertised! | |
 A+ | C. Boucher39 MIN, 12 PTS, 14 REB, 0 AST, 1 STL, 4-12 FG, 1-4 3FG, 3-4 FT, 1 BLK, 1 TO, +16 +/- He just doesn’t make the same mistakes he used to. Offensively, he just sprinted towards the rim with extreme malice, and he can outjump basically anyone to catch the ball when he’s there. Tossed in his gimmes and threw in some putbacks, too. Jumped passing lanes defensively. Took a charge on Harden. Really exquisite stuff. | |
 A+ | A. Brooks14 MIN, 6 PTS, 2 REB, 0 AST, 1 STL, 2-4 FG, 2-4 3FG, 0-0 FT, 0 BLK, 0 TO, +10 +/- He remains confident, which is good. And it paid off in the fourth, as he hit two really important triples! Defensively he was really solid, intercepting a transition hit-ahead and even blocking (fouling) Danny Green from behind in transition. | |
 A | Nick Nurse He switched Achiuwa onto Embiid as his primary really early in the game, which coincided pretty sharply with Toronto’s climb back into it. Then he started Boucher for Achiuwa in the second half — no one can ever be comfortable, not even his own players, haha. Looked like he started the game trying to run a whole bag of defensive looks to see what might work in a potential series, only for the team fail to execute, so he pared it down pretty fast. Coached for a win and got it. | |
Things We Saw
- The NBA is difficult to fathom sometimes. Effort and execution can change things radically. For example, early: Toronto’s defense just didn’t have an answer for Embiid. Which is, you know, not a unique quality around the league! But it was rough to watch. He hit little jumpers, gathered offensive rebounds, passed for advantages, drew defenders to him, drew free throws: you name it, Toronto let him have it. From the second quarter on: Where’d he go? Toronto made him invisible. We saw the pros and cons of the system all in one game. Funny stuff, this basketball.
- That defense, holy hell. This is the vision right here. Bodies everywhere, everyone capable in isolation but with help anyway to force turnovers. Switching as a weapon rather than a reaction. Maybe Toronto’s best defensive game of the season. Precious Achiuwa took the OG Anunoby I’ll-switch-1-to-5-and-stop-everyone role and did it to perfection.
- Chris Boucher continues begging Nick Nurse for challenges used on his blocks-called-fouls. He did here on a clear foul, and Nurse didn’t even pretend to think about it. Lol.
- Young players miss free throws in clutch scenarios. It happens! Good thing it didn’t cost Toronto in this one.
