Toronto Raptors beat Philadelphia 76ers, force Game 6
PHILADELPHIA – The Toronto Raptors confronted elimination for the second time in three days – and got here out victorious as soon as once more.
Pascal Siakam scored 23 factors and 10 rebounds and the Raptors beat the 76ers 103-88 on Monday to chop Philadelphia’s lead of their best-of-seven opening-round playoff collection to 3-2.
Treasured Achiuwa had 17 factors, whereas OG Anunoby completed with 16 for the Raptors, who had been lacking injured all-star guard Fred VanVleet. Scottie Barnes, in his second sport again after sitting two with a sprained ankle, had 12 factors and eight rebounds.
The Raptors face elimination but once more in Sport 6 in Toronto on Thursday.
Joel Embiid, who was enjoying with a torn ligament in his proper thumb, had 20 factors and 11 rebounds to guide the Sixers.
Two nights after their 110-102 win in Toronto to pressure a Sport 5, the Raptors bought off to a powerful begin, racing out to a nine-point lead within the first quarter and stretching it to 14 within the second. They led by double digits for a lot of the third and took a 75-66 benefit into the fourth.
Boos rained down from the gang when Barnes chucked a cheeky no-look move to Achiuwa for a dunk for a 13-point lead with 6:11 to play. James Harden’s three-pointer sliced the distinction to 9 factors with 6:11 to play, however after a few scoreless minutes by each groups, Anunoby drilled a three-pointer for 13 factors of respiration room with 3:52 to play.
When Anunoby drove to the ring for a dunk with 2:14 to play, 1000’s of Philly followers headed for the exits, as if there’d been an evacuation order. Raptors coach Nick Nurse emptied his bench with 1:19 to play.
Two nights earlier in Toronto, Siakam had poured in a playoff profession excessive 34 factors and the Raptors pulled away to beat Philly and stave off elimination.
No group in NBA historical past has come again to win a seven-game collection after trailing 3-0. Nurse referred to as it a “heckuva problem” and stated “any individual’s gotta do it.” 13 groups have come again from 3-1 deficits, and Sixers coach Doc Rivers has been on the dropping finish of two of these. It might nearly be becoming for the Raptors, who’ve endured loads of upheaval up to now two seasons, together with having to play out of Tampa, Fla., final season attributable to COVID-19 border restrictions.
VanVleet confirmed at Monday morning’s shootaround he would not play attributable to a strained left hip flexor suffered within the first half of Sport 4. VanVleet, who’s been battling a bruised knee all season, stated his physique has “tapped out.” He was not sure if he’d be healed sufficiently to play in Sport 6.
The Raptors bought off to a powerful begin, pestering the Sixers into 10 turnovers within the first quarter. Gary Trent Jr. had 9 factors within the body to cleared the path, and his step again shot had the Raptors up by 9 lower than 5 minutes into the sport. The Sixers pulled to inside a degree with a 10-2 run that included an unlucky Achiuwa tip-in on Philly’s web when he and Barnes each went as much as seize a rebound. The Raptors led 29-27 to begin the second.
Toronto opened the second with a 12-0 run that featured a behind the again dribble by Barnes, the Raptors’ newly minted NBA rookie of the 12 months, on the quick break. Siakam’s finger roll had Toronto up by 14 factors. The closest the Sixers bought within the quarter was six factors, and the Raptors headed into halftime up 54-41. The disgruntled Sixers crowd of 20,517 followers booed their group off the ground.
The Sixers received Video games 1 and a pair of by 35 factors mixed, then Embiid hit a clutch three-pointer with lower than a second left in additional time in a Sport 3 heartbreaker.
Sport 7, if wanted, can be again in Philadelphia on Saturday.
This report by The Canadian Press was first revealed April 25, 2022.
