The Sixers posted another loss tonight to the Toronto Raptors, 96-76 . Though the score was within 6 halfway through the fourth quarter, the Raptors were able to keep rolling and go on a 19-5 run to end the game. Forward Luis Scola once again gouged the Sixers for 22 points on 71 percent shooting. Toronto was able to make the most of their foul shots, going 25-34 from the line. There was an incredible free throw difference, with the Sixers only attempting 14, 20 less than the Raptors.
Jahlil Okafor puts up a double-double (23 p / 14 r) and Robert Covington adds 15 points in a 96-76 loss in Toronto. pic.twitter.com/tFvZjJw9Ik
— Philadelphia 76ers (@Sixers) December 14, 2015
The Sixers kept pace with the Raptors in the first quarter, leading 16-8 early. As would be the case for the rest of the game Toronto got rolling at the end of the quarter, closing it out on a 18-4 run to end the quarter. Jahlil Okafor was very active getting 10 of his eventual team leading 23 in the first quarter. Luis Scola was a menace for the Raptors in the first, scoring 14 and seemingly never missing a shot.
In the second quarter the Sixers started to chip away at Toronto's lead with good team defense and well timed buckets to keep the score close. The Sixers were powered by their shooting from behind the arc, starting 7-14 for the first half. However again the Raptors went on a 5-0 run in the final minutes of the quarter to put Philly down by double digits heading into the locker room.
The first 6 minutes of the third quarter were painful to watch, both teams playing ugly basketball with 13 points scored between the two teams in the first half of the quarter. Unfortunately not the product of good defensive effort, more products of stagnant offenses and missed shots. Nerlens Noel got elbowed in the face by Toronto point guard Kyle Lowry and would not return with a left corneal abrasion. Noel had an underwhelming game, only scoring two points though racking up 5 rebounds, four assists, and a block in just 18 minutes.
In the fourth quarter the Sixers tried to climb out of the hole they dug over the first three quarters and got within 6, down 77-71 halfway through the period. In spite of this the Sixers would only put up 5 more points in the game. Jahlil Okafor had a few impressive buckets in the quarter, yet often came up empty during crunch time.
Kendall Marshall again played well in his limited minutes off the bench, finishing second on the team (of those who played the whole game) in plus/minus with a -1. Though only scoring two points he racked up a team high five assists. When he enters the game the offense seems to run much smoother than when TJ McConnell or Isaiah Canaan is at the point.
The Sixers play back-to-back tomorrow night in Chicago facing Jimmy Butler, Derrick Rose, and the Bulls at 8pm on the second game of a three game road trip.
