Key Takeaways: Philadelphia 76ers get stunned by Toronto Raptors 115-107
The Philadelphia 76ers kicked off their two-game road trip by dropping another game – this time to an inferior opponent dealing with worse injury luck than themselves.
Without core players RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley, the Toronto Raptors stunned the short-handed 76ers 115-107 as Philadelphia dropped to 0-2 on the season.
In a game the 76ers should’ve won, there were lots of ugly takeaways – here’s what stood out the most.
Tyrese Maxey once again struggles as first option
Tyrese Maxey continued to struggle as Philadelphia’s first scoring option. After dropping four assists in the first quarter, Maxey developed tunnel vision and forced contested shots in isolation for the remainder of the game.
Maxey finished with 24 points, 4 assists, 2 rebounds, and 1 steal, on 6-23 shooting from the field, 2-12 marksmanship from beyond the arc, and 10-12 from the foul line – at least he got to the line tonight.
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Kelly Oubre Jr. was efficient
Kelly Oubre Jr. was able to play efficiently and catch fire from three-point land. Oubre led all scorers with 28 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals on 9-17 field shooting and 3-6 accuracy from three.
The 76ers wing is at his best when he locks in defensively, makes effort plays, and maintains a healthy shot diet – all of which he did tonight.
The 76ers got smoked off the glass
Philadelphia got demolished off the boards as Toronto out-rebounded it 54-28. Andre Drummond was Philadelphia’s only player to notch more than five rebounds. The veteran center finished the night with 11 points, 9 rebounds, 4 steals, and 2 blocks.
The 76ers’ defensive rotations were poor both on and off the ball, which forced Drummond into rotation – allowing the Raptors to snag 18 offensive boards. Philadelphia tended to get beat off the dribble and were too late to recover – resulting in 32 team fouls.
Nick Nurse tweaked the starting lineup
Nick Nurse tinkered with the 76ers’ starting lineup once again – subbing out Eric Gordon and KJ Martin in exchange for Kyle Lowry and Caleb Martin.
Lowry flourished in his first start of the season, especially as a spot-up shooter. The veteran guard gave his former team 14 points and 3 steals on 3-5 shooting from downtown.
Caleb Martin produced 11 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, and 4 personal fouls — a performance where he made jarring offensive decisions and struggled against a taller Scottie Barnes.
The 76ers aim to get their first win of the season on Sunday against the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse at 3:30 p.m. EST.
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