Panic begins to set in as 76ers fall to Raptors in Game 5, 103-88 final
The Philadelphia 76ers completely shit the bed last night against the Toronto Raptors with a chance to end their first round playoff series with a gentleman’s sweep in South Philadelphia. In what can only be described as a complete lapse in focus and intensity, the Sixers only managed to score 88 total points and lose Game 5 to Toronto 103-88, giving the Raptors life heading into Game 6 in Canada Thursday night.
3 Horrible 76ers Stats Last Night
- The Sixers were outscored in the paint 56-36
- The Sixers got beat on the fast break 24-16
- The Sixers allowed 20 points on 16 turnovers
Joel Embiid led the 76ers in scoring with 20 points and added 11 rebounds and four assists in the losing effort. James Harden scored 15 points on 4-of-11 shooting. Tyrese Maxey scored 12 points on 5-of-14 shooting. Tobias Harris scored 16 points on 6-of-16 shooting. Danny Green scored 14 points on 5-of-10 shooting and 4-of-9 from three point range.
The Sixers bench combined for a total of 11 points, but really, it was even worse than that. You can remove the three points that Furkan Korkmaz scored in his two minutes of action when the game was lost. Georges Niang scored three points and only managed two shots in 13 minutes last night. Paul Reed scored three points on 1-of-4 shooting in eight minutes. Matisse Thybulle scored two points on 1-of-6 shooting in 14 minutes.
For a team that had the opportunity to put their opponent to rest and earn themselves a few extra days off before round two of the playoffs, taking the court in a Game 5 series clinching game and shooting just over 38 percent from the floor and 27 percent from three point range is almost insulting.
The Sixers won’t win another game if Joel Embiid is the leading scorer with 20 points. It just won’t happen. In the preview I wrote yesterday, I stressed the importance of either Maxey, Harden, or Harris having a “takeover” game while Embiid battles a sore knee and torn ligament in his thumb and obviously that didn’t happen.
The Sixers offense fell back into the extremely frustrating isolation set where three players stand around the perimeter while James Harden tries to take on his defender 1-on-1 (which he cant do) while Joel Embiid posts up in the lane. Tyrese Maxey was dismissive and Tobias Harris failed to attack the paint with the aggression we witnessed over the first three games.
I hate to even say it, but I’m not sure if there are any real answers for the Sixers offensively and that’s because they are coached by a group of incompetent idiots.
Listen, no team has EVER lost while going up 3-0 in a playoff series. Although I doubt it will happen with the 76ers this year, if anyone is capable of rewriting history, that would be Doc Rivers. The 76ers head coach has now lost SEVEN OF HIS LAST EIGHT opportunities to close out a series. He has 31 losses in that scenario which is already the most in NBA history.
Lord help us.
Game Notes
- No leadership – fans included. Wells Fargo Center looked like a day game in mid-January.
- No defense minus Tobias Harris.
- No offensive scheme. Isolations will be the death of me.
- No, Harden isolations with Embiid posting up is not an offense.
- Pick-and-Roll is nonexistent and was the shining spot in the 76ers offense when used.
- Tyrese Maxey is too dismissive on offense.
- Tobias Harris is too dismissive on offense.
- Niang or Shake Milton need to combine for 15 points MINIMUM for the Sixers to win.
- If Embiid is only scoring 20 points then you’re not winning many games
- No rebounding – 4 red jerseys in the paint and I’m not sure Embiid even crossed half court yet.
- Lack of answers offensively falls on the coaching staff.
- Harden continues to show he can’t create separation, but sure, isolations.
Mandatory Credit: NBA.com
