Would the Sixers turn the other cheek for this second straight game in Toronto? This is the question we asked ourselves before the match, and especially in the in-between when we discovered Joel Embiid’s package. But a player had decided to transform this revenge into a “one man show”, and it is Tyrese Maxey. The back of Philly flew over the meeting with an exceptional first half at 27 points on 10 out of 10 on shots! From the opener, on a 3-pointer, very complicated in the corner at the limit of 24 seconds, Maxey sets the tone for the evening.
Under his leadership, Philly will take off at the start of the 2nd quarter. The hero of the evening is already at 17 points at 5 of 5 from 3-point range, and the Sixers take a 12-point lead (43-31). The efforts of Pascal Siakam and the dominance in the offensive rebound are insufficient for the Raptors. Especially since James Harden chose to be sober and efficient, and at the break, there are 17 points difference (65-48).
In the second half, Philly did not let go of the accelerator, and Maxey, again, played the defense of the Raptors. Doc Rivers leaves his back until the end, and he ends the meeting with 44 points! Without Embiid, Philly won by 22 points (112-90) and avoided a great crisis.
WHAT YOU MUST REMEMBER
— The absence of Joel Embiid. Like Kawhi Leonard on the other side of the United States, Embiid is already in “load management”. Officially, the medical staff decided to spare his knee, and as it was a back-to-back, they made the choice to do without him tonight. It should be noted that Doc Rivers had opted for “small ball” with PJ Tucker at position 5.
— The defensive retreat. Beyond the Maxey show, we will remember the defense of the Sixers, and more particularly the defensive withdrawal. Harden in the lead, Rivers players tried everything to cut Toronto’s fast play. As proof, at halftime, the Raptors had not scored a single point on the counterattack! It will be necessary to wait for a counter-attack from Siakam for the Raptors to finally score on quick play.
TOPS/FLOPS
✅ Tyrese Maxey. Simply the game of his life. 44 points at 15 out of 20 on shots, including 9 out of 12 from 3-pointers! At halftime, he was already 27 points with a 10 out of 10 on shots. He adds 8 rebounds and 4 assists, and he left crumbs for his teammates.
✅ FromAnthony Melton. Holder, it was he who gave the defensive tone to his training. He simply ate Fred VanVleet, and his wingspan allows him to always be on the passing lines. His duet with Maxey may have given Doc Rivers ideas.
✅ Matisse Thybulle. He had only played five minutes since the start of the season… His entry into play was complicated with a 24-second violation, but the Australian quickly caught up with two 3-pointers in a row. Like Melton, he weighed in defense.
✅ Pascal Siakam. The Cameroonian is making a great start to the season, to the point that the NBA places him in the Top 5 of the best players in its weekly ranking. “Go-to-guy”, he is the only one with OG Anunoby to have tried to bring speed and aggressiveness.
⛔ Fred VanVleet. Nothing less than his worst career game with 0 of 11 on shots, and even 0 of 2 on free throws. A real nightmare.
THE FOLLOWING
Toronto (3-3) : little break for the Raptors who only play again on Monday against the Hawks.
Philadelphia (2-4) : back-to-back with a trip to Chicago.
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