The 76ers left Scotiabank Arena empty-handed after five extra minutes of basketball, dropping a 116-115 overtime decision to the Raptors on Sunday night. The teams will run it back in Toronto less than 24 hours later.
At a Glance
- Scottie Barnes sank the winning free throw with 0.8 seconds left in OT, finishing with 31 points, eight assists and seven rebounds
- Tyrese Maxey poured in 38 points and five assists for the shorthanded Sixers
- Philadelphia squandered a 107-103 lead in the final 20 seconds of regulation
- Why it matters: The loss extends the Sixers’ road woes and keeps them below .500 away from home this season
Philadelphia played without Joel Embiid (left knee injury management and left groin soreness) and Paul George, who was a late scratch with left knee soreness. Toronto was missing RJ Barrett, Brandon Ingram and Jakob Poeltl.
Ice-Cold First Half
Both teams bricked jump shots at a historic rate in the opening 24 minutes. The Sixers and Raptors combined to shoot 3 for 26 from beyond the arc in the first half, nearly matching the 3-for-33 effort Philadelphia produced Friday against Orlando.
Dominick Barlow supplied the Sixers’ first six points on two layups and a pair of free throws. Outside of Barlow, the rest of the roster started 0 for 8 from the field.
Jared McCain finally broke the three-point drought when he buried a side-step triple with 2.1 seconds left in the first quarter, nudging Philadelphia ahead 25-22. The quarter ended with the Sixers clinging to that slim margin.
Raptors Push the Pace
Toronto’s offense thrived in early-clock situations. Led by Barnes, the Raptors consistently advanced the ball via pass or dribble before Philadelphia’s defense could set. The result: eight of the game’s first nine fast-break points.
Physicality and disputed whistles surfaced early. Sixers head coach Nick Nurse drew a technical foul less than two minutes in and continued lobbying officials throughout the half. Philadelphia shot 25 for 31 at the stripe; Toronto went 29 for 39.
The Raptors stretched the lead to 14 late in the second quarter and carried a 58-48 advantage into the locker room.
Oubre Ignites Third-Quarter Surge
Kelly Oubre Jr., starting in place of George, delivered his best outing since returning from a left knee sprain. He sparked a personal 7-0 run out of the break, converting two layups and a corner three while picking up three steals in the quarter.
Maxey and Oubre powered the Sixers to a 73-71 lead on a Maxey mid-range jumper. Jabari Walker and Adem Bona added energy off the bench, combining for 16 points, 11 rebounds (six offensive) and two blocks.
Philadelphia won the third quarter by 18 points and led 86-78 entering the fourth.
Collapse in the Clutch
The Raptors reclaimed momentum while Maxey rested. Collin Murray-Boyles, the No. 9 overall pick, slammed home a put-back dunk to put Toronto up 88-86.
With Maxey playing off the ball late, VJ Edgecombe struggled to create, finishing 6 for 19 from the floor. After Edgecombe missed a step-back three, Barnes drove on Barlow for a thunderous dunk and later tied the game at 99 with two free throws.
Maxey re-assumed primary duties and appeared to seal the win. He drilled a turnaround jumper, a driving layup and a three, pushing the Sixers ahead 107-103 with 20.1 seconds left.
Philadelphia then unraveled:
- Immanuel Quickley buried a long two from the left corner
- Oubre threw away the ensuing inbounds pass
- Quickley missed a baseline jumper, but the ball went out off Bona
- Barnes found Murray-Boyles, who dished to Jamal Shead for a short push shot with 2.0 seconds left
- Quentin Grimes misfired on a half-court heave, forcing OT
Barnes Delivers the Dagger
Overtime see-sawed until Edgecombe drained a contested three with 15.6 seconds left to knot the score at 115. Barnes had the final answer, driving on Oubre, drawing a foul and sinking the first of two free throws with 0.8 seconds left. He intentionally missed the second, ending the Sixers’ comeback bid.
Key Takeaways
- Without Embiid and George, Philadelphia leaned on Maxey’s 38 points and Oubre’s two-way energy
- The Sixers’ 3-point shooting remains a liability; they finished 8 for 34 from deep
- Bench contributions from Walker and Bona nearly swung the game
- Toronto’s young core-Barnes, Murray-Boyles and Shead-combined for 70 points
The loss drops the Sixers to 21-17 ahead of Monday’s rematch in the same building.
